Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Bamfield Street, a barrister at law in private practice, born 1833 in Madras, India and his wife Eliza Martha Ellen Street (nee Wren, married in the 4th quarter of 1867 in the St. Giles, London district), born 1840 in St. Giles, Middlesex. Frank was born on the 31st May 1870 in Maida Vale, Middlesex and was baptised in St. Saviours Church, Paddington, Middlesex on the 24th June 1870, he had one sibling, Henry Branson, born 1869 in Albrin Street, Hyde Park, Middlesex, in April 1871 the family home was at Portsdown Road, Paddington, Middlesex. In April 1881 Frank was absent from the family home at 13, Nicoll Road, Willesden, Middlesex, residing there was his father, a barrister at law in private practice, his mother and siblings, John Gwynn, a schoolboy, born 1871 at 8, Randolph Crescent, Maida Vale, Middlesex, Hugh Wren, born 1878 in Beckenham, Kent and Edith, born 3rd March 1881 in Harlesden, Middlesex. In April 1891 Frank was a scholar of Christ Church, Oxford and was residing in the family home at The Avenue, Beckenham, together with his father, a barrister, his mother and siblings, John, a county court clerk, Hugh, a schoolboy and Edith. On the 12th September 1892 in the Bromley, Kent district, Frank’s father died aged 59. In March 1901 Frank was engaged as a schoolmaster and was residing in the family home at 3, Cedars Road, Beckenham, together with his widowed mother, living on her own means and siblings, John, a chartered accountant’s clerk, Hugh an insurance clerk and Edith. In April 1911 Frank was absent from the family home at Duryard, Tadworth, Banstead, Surrey, residing there was his widowed mother and siblings, Edith, an assistant mistress, and Henry an assistant master, Frank was engaged as a schoolmaster at Uppingham School, Rutland, and was residing at Fircroft, Uppingham.
Frank was a master at Uppingham School, and enlisted at the outbreak of war in the 18th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, Universities and Public School’s Corps. He modestly joined the ranks, and was quickly promoted to Sergeant, later being given a Commission. He embarked for France on the 14th November 1915, taking part in the Battle of the Somme where he was killed by a bullet near Ovillers during the operation of clearing the woods and trenches between the first and second German lines. The second was carried by the British Army on July 14th. The Uppingham School Magazine contained the following appreciation of Lieutenant Street. The loss of Frank Street is one that cannot be repaired. When we hear that a cruiser has gone the craft may have been out of date, or a trench captured by the German’s may represent no tactical value. No such consolation comes to us now; for Street was the best type of man we cannot afford to lose—the unselfish Englishman. In whatever department of life we look at him—and like most schoolmasters, he was versatile enough—the same stamp is revealed. So fine an athlete might have been allowed some conscious pride in his prowess; but love of skill, keenness for a side, were the only instincts that inspired Street. In school, out of school, in the house, boys learnt to know and admire the same examples. To his friends he never cooled as some men do when the pre-occupations of life increase. As a soldier he gave unstinted energy to a profession that was not his original choice. He achieved excellence from a high sense of duty; and the claims of his duty he had recognised long before the outbreak of war made them dawn upon the minds of present day patriots. His failings, if such they can be called, were modesty and the lack of personal ambition. These were really symptomatic of his underlying unselfishness. Modesty and a high sense of public duty supply the explanation of the last two years of his life. At first he doubted his military value; he felt he could serve his country best by serving the school. But he quickly saw what England took many months to realise, that most men must be soldiers until further notice; and he never shrank from letting everything go to fulfil his duty. Again modesty put him in the ranks; it was loyalty with modesty that kept him with his regiment when higher rank and responsibility were to be had elsewhere for the asking. It is for us to blame our system, or the want of it, whereby better use was not made of his fine qualities and high attainments, and to lament that our best was squandered too easily; but for him we feel no regrets; his life was fine, and his death a brave Englishman’s. He was indeed typical English; by which one means that he was free from “swank” of any kind. He was never morose, he was never touchy, his sense of humour was ever ready. These are some of the reasons why he was so universally popular. He radiated sympathy. If one had a grievance Street got the full benefit from it. His favourite solace for the wounded soul was generally the phrase: “All right it’s a jolly good discipline”; and if that did not soothe, the patient soon forgot his little trouble by seeing the insignificance in the full light of Street’s wider outlook. He would read with appreciative interest and good tempered amusement a Commons debate, with its cheap retorts and inevitable “scenes”; but he reserved his real admiration for the statelier and more weighty deliberations of the House of Lords. He loved Uppingham; and that is not merely saying that he identified himself with the institution where lay his work. He loved her history and her life. His affection went even the length of making him hate “taking runs against the School.” He delighted in nature and was a keen observer of bird life. A letter from his Company Commander tells us how before the advance, he kept his men in hand under a heavy shell fire. We know the sort of encouragement he would have given, and almost seem to hear the words; next we see him leading his platoon over ‘No Man’s Land.’ There the picture ends. To say more is mere vain repetition; besides a voice from somewhere seems to say; ‘Oh, chuck it!’ or something similar. We’ll leave him there; but never a braver soldier fell, never was mourned a dearer friend. Lieutenant Street was among the first to go. Who shall say how many waverers he carried with him, or appraise the worth of such a man in such a corps. He fell a full Lieutenant at the age of Brigadiers, but at the school from which he flew to arms his noble name will never die.
The War Diary records: 7 Jul-16 – OVILLERS. 4.30am. Our bombardment commenced and became intense at 5.30am at which time the Companies took up their positions in the front line ready for the assault. “A” on left and “D” on right curve to form the 1st line and to be followed immediately by “B” and “C” Companies respectively. The enemy retaliated almost as soon as our bombardment commenced and our trenches were heavily shelled by guns of big calibre. There were no dug-outs available and our casualties were very heavy being reduced to about 40. It was then decided that “C” Company should go over with “D”. At 8.30am the time fixed for the assault, “A” and “D” the remainder of “C” left our trenches.
8.30am. “A” Company was decimated by machine gun fire and the same fate met 2 platoons of “B” which followed. The remaining platoons of “B” Company were ordered to remain in the trench as it was seen to be useless to send them across at the same place. “D” and “C” on the left were more successful and although greatly weakened managed to reach the German trenches which they carried by assault. The enemy’s fire and support trenches were captured and consolidated. Two machine guns were put out of action and 50 prisoners were captured. Continuous bombing attacks were beaten off with loss to the enemy.
5.30pm. About 5.30pm the remaining platoons of “B” Company managed to get across and brought with them a large supply of bombs. It was raining heavily during the day.
On Friday July 21st 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – UPPINGHAM HOUSE MASTER KILLED. – News of the death in action of Lieutenant F. Street, Royal Fusiliers, was received in Uppingham on Monday afternoon. Soon after the outbreak of war, Lieutenant Street who was then major in the Uppingham School Officers’ training Corps, and a house master of the school, gave up his house and joined the Public Schools Battalion, afterwards receiving a commission in the Royal Fusiliers. He leaves a widow to mourn his loss.