Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Streeton, born on the 21st January 1839 in Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 17th February 1839 in the Parish Church, Croxton Kerrial and his wife Sarah Ann Streeton (nee Ratcliffe married on the 26th December 1864 in the Parish Church, Croxton Kerrial), born 1842 in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. James Ratcliffe Streeton, a schoolboy, was born on the 20th December 1882 in Croxton Kerrial and was baptised on the 11th February 1883 in the Parish Church, Croxton Kerrial, his siblings were, Thomas Goodwin, an agricultural labourer, was born on the 30th August 1876 and was baptised on the 15th October 1876 in the Parish Church, Croxton Kerrial, Beatrice Mary, a schoolgirl, born 1879 and Agnes Edith, a schoolgirl, born on the 17th January 1881, all his siblings were born in Croxton Kerrial, in April 1891 the family home was at Roses Town End, Croxton Kerrial. In March 1901 James was employed as a domestic footman and was residing as a servant at Hovingham, Yorkshire. James married Bessie Byatt in July 1909 in St. Marylebone, Middlesex, Bessie was born on the 18th November 1877 in Little Easton, Essex. They had two children Agnes Doris, born on the 12th September 1909 in Stepney, Mile End Old Town, Middlesex and Mollie Olive, born on the 19th October 1912 in Kensington, Middlesex. In April 1911 James was employed as a domestic butler and was residing as a servant at 14, Kensington Palace Gardens, Middlesex. The family latterly resided at Denbigh Villa, Denbigh Terrace, Bayswater, Middlesex.
James also had the following older siblings, Alice Ann, born on the 22nd August 1866 in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Francis William, born on the 27th March 1865 in Thistleton, Rutland, Lucy Ellen, born on the 1st January 1868, Sarah, born on the 20th February 1871 in Croxton Kerrial and George Robert Hall, born on the 20th May 1874 in Croxton Kerrial,
James’ Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted as a Territorial into the County of London Regiment, being allotted the service number 6865, and was posted as a Rifleman to the 1/16th Battalion of the County of London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) and it was with this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 17th September 1916. Under the Army Council Instruction of 1917 that promulgated a new numbering system for all Territorial Force units, he was allotted the service number 553314. James was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
James enlisted at the same time as his older brother Thomas, sharing consecutive service numbers, and both brothers were killed in action on the same day, the 14th April 1917 at Heninel, France. The War Diary entries for the date of their death have not survived.