Not dead, just missing, Private Albert Herbert Street of the Yorks & Lancs Regiment

Not dead, just missing 

Private Albert Herbert Street 

of the Yorks & Lancs Regiment

I met a man today whose grandfather died in the First World War. Many men died in that awful conflict, but this man’s story was particularly poignant. He was given his grandfather’s three medals (1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal – or Pip, Squeak and Wilfred) and his Memorial Plaque, twenty or so years ago by his grandmother, who lived to the age of 103 and never remarried.

On the 8^th May 1915, a week after arriving in France, Private Street of the York and Lancaster Regiment sent his wife a standard Army Issue postcard marked by him in pencil to indicate he was well. That was the last day that Private Street was seen alive. He disappeared, presumed dead whilst taking part in the Battle of Ypres (Wipers).

Just over one year later on the 13^th May 1916 his widow received official notification that, although his body had not been found, Private Street was now ‘officially dead’.

Mrs. Street never remarried because she was never quite certain he was dead and would not suddenly reappear.

It reminded me of a strange incident of many years ago

I was at an auction in Fife, Scotland, and I purchased a Memorial Plaque. As I collected my lot a small elderly man sidled up to me. ‘That’s me’ he said. I asked what he meant and he told me his name appeared on the local War Memorial. He deserted in Belgium, married a Belgian woman and did not return to Scotland until the mid 1920s. He had been presumed dead and then officially confirmed as dead, yet he was still alive. He had a wife already waiting for him in Scotland, was she happy to have a bigamous deserter home?

Private Street’s Army Card Index records

Street entered the conflict on 1^st May 1915, confirms his entitlement to three medals and is marked “Pres: D. 8. 5-15.”

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes

18330 Private Albert Herbert Street, 1^st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, born Heage, Derbys, enlisted Chesterfield, official date of death 8th May 1915, killed in action in the Western European Theatre.

His name is recorded on Panel 36 and 55, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

His age unknown….. another life sacrificed for imperialistic aims.