Stenning, Ambrose Nelson

No.389 – Gunner Ambrose Stenning – 36^th Heavy Artillery Group

Ambrose Nelson Stenning was born in Brighton Sussex England on the 26^th November 1889 to Frances Ann Stenning. He was educated at Oval Road Board School in Croydon and after leaving school he took up work as a Carpenter. In 1911, aged 22, Ambrose travelled to Western Australia and took up residence in Fremantle. He worked as a carpenter for a time but then joined the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery. He held the rank of Gunner and was stationed at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks in Burt Street. The permanent artillerymen were made a part of the local community with many Gunners marrying local girls.

At the outbreak of the Great War many of the Artillerymen at the Barracks wanted to enlist in the AIF but as they were part of the permanent forces they were required to remain in Australia for training purposes and home defence. However in 1915 a decision was made to send a Siege Artillery Brigade to England which would be made up of permanent artillerymen. On the 1^st June 1915 Ambrose was one of the many men at the Barracks who were able to enlist in this new unit, which would be known as the 36^th Heavy Artillery Group. He still had to pass the medical examination, which he did with flying colours.

 The medical examiner found Ambrose to be 5 feet 10 inches tall; weight of 147lbs; chest measurement of 33-37 inches ruddy complexion; blue eyes and fair hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. Shortly after they were attested at Fremantle Artillery Barracks, the men who had enlisted were shipped off to Melbourne to join the other men of the Siege Brigade.

On the 17^th July 1915 the Gunners of the 36^th Heavy Artillery Group left Port Melbourne aboard the HMAT Orsova. They berthed for a time at Suez Egypt on the 12^th August but did not remain there long as the ship headed on to England. Upon being disembarked in England the men were sent into camp. They were initially stationed at Lydd, then Taunton in Somerset where they spent the Christmas of 1915. The men were organised into the 54^th & 55^th Batteries of the 36^th HAG and Ambrose was a member of the 55^th Battery.

On February 27th 1916 Ambrose, as part of the 55^th Battery, arrived at Boulogne France. They spent three days here and on March 7^th left with their guns and travelled to Mont St Eloy near Arras where they went into billets. On March 16^th 1916 the men of the 55^th Battery of the Siege Brigade suffered their first casualties when the Germans shelled their billets at Mont St Eloy. Three of the Gunners, including Henry Robinson of Fremantle, were killed and fourteen were wounded.

Ambrose escaped injury and in the following days he was soon in action with his unit as the 55^th Battery fired on the Germans. On the 26^th March 1916 the Germans struck the gun positions with their own fire killing two Gunners, one of which was Ambrose. He was buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery at Mont St Eloy in plot I.D.18.

His mother, Frances Stenning, living in East Croydon in the UK would receive Ambrose’s personal effects and medals. She also received a pension from the Australian military.