John William Streets

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John William Streets, better known as Will Streets, was born on March 24, 1886, in Whitwell, Derbyshire, England. Streets grew up in a working-class mining family and followed his father into the coal pits, starting work as a miner at a young age. Despite his humble beginnings, Streets was an avid reader and self-taught poet, developing a passion for literature that set him apart from his peers. His work is often associated with the War Poets of World War I, though he was less widely known during his lifetime.

When the First World War broke out, Streets enlisted in the Sheffield City Battalion (12th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment) in 1914. Like many others, he joined with a sense of duty and optimism, which was soon replaced by the grim realities of trench warfare. The war had a profound impact on Streets, shaping both his poetry and his worldview. His work, which was deeply influenced by Romantic poets such as Wordsworth and Shelley, took on a somber tone as he grappled with themes of loss, sacrifice, and the devastation of modern conflict.

Streets was deployed to the Western Front, where he fought in some of the war’s most harrowing battles. His military career was tragically short. On July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, Streets went over the top with his battalion. He was wounded during the assault but continued to fight until he went missing in action. His body was not recovered until ten months later, and he was buried at Euston Road Cemetery in Colincamps, France.

Before his death, Streets wrote a collection of poetry that provides an intimate glimpse into the life of a soldier during World War I. His poems reflect his dual identity as a miner and a poet, grounded in the working-class struggles of his upbringing while reaching for higher philosophical and emotional insights. His collection The Undying Splendour was published posthumously in 1917, gaining attention for its stark yet lyrical portrayal of the war.

Streets’ legacy lies in his ability to articulate the experiences of ordinary soldiers with both sensitivity and depth. His poems capture the camaraderie, fear, and longing for home that defined life in the trenches. While his life was cut short at 31, his work endures as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the enduring power of art to give voice to those who might otherwise be forgotten. Today, Streets is remembered as one of the many voices silenced by the Great War, yet his poetry ensures that his story, and the stories of countless others, live on.

The following was written by his commanding officer and is at the beginning of his poshumously published work “The Undying Splendour,” serving as a tribute to the young man.

Furness Hospital for Officers,
Harrogate,
7th April, 1917.
Dear Sirs,
I understand you are publishing a book of the
verses of Sergt. J. W. Streets .
If his verses are as good as his reputation as a
soldier, you may rest assured that the book will be
a great success.
Streets was a member of my Company since the
commencement of the War, and his reputation as
a thoroughly reliable N.C.O. , gained in England
and in Egypt, was enhanced when we were trans-
ferred to France.
He was conspicuous amongst a battalion of
brave men who formed the left wing battalion of
the great Allied advance on the 1st July. He
fell along with the remainder of his comrades, and
died as he had lived-a MAN.
Need I say more ?
It was a privilege to command such men.
Yours faithfully,
A. PLACKETT,
Major.

You may learn more at the War Poets.org and Wikipedia.