Lance Corporal John Street and four unknown First World War soldiers finally laid to rest in France

The bearer party carry Lance Corporal Street to his final resting place (Photo: Thomas Capiaux).

A Runcorn soldier who was killed in 1917 has been laid to rest exactly 108 years later at a service organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC). 

Lance Corporal (LCpl) John Street was buried at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Point-Du-Jour Military Cemetery, Athies in France on Thursday 10 April 2025 alongside four other recently recovered soldiers whose remains could not be identified. 

LCpl Street worked at the Astmoor Tannery when war broke out in 1914. He joined up in October 1915 and left for France late on Christmas Day, joining the 1st Battalion, King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) on the Western Front.

The battalion spent the entire war in France and Belgium, participating in almost every major battle in the area. John was killed on 10 April 1917, on the second day of the Battle of Arras, but his body was not recovered and he was recorded as missing.

John was discovered in 2018, along with two other soldiers on the outskirts of the village of Fampoux in France. They were found with artefacts suggesting they belonged to the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). After extensive research and DNA testing, one soldier was identified as LCpl John Street. Sadly, the other two soldiers were unable to be identified.

The newly prepared headstones for Lance Corporal Street and four unknown soldiers (Photo: Thomas Capiaux).

Alongside these three soldiers, also buried today were two casualties recovered from the outskirts of Arras. Sadly, despite attempts to identify them, no DNA could be extracted from either casualty.

JCCC Caseworker, Nicola Nash said: 
"It is clear from meeting the descendants of LCpl John Street, that he was loved by everyone, with his loss leaving a huge hole for his family. I am extremely proud that I was able to identify John and bring him back to his loved ones. We will always appreciate his sacrifice, and the sacrifice of the other four unknown men that we buried today."

The service was conducted by the Reverend Dr Karl Benson CF, Chaplain to 1 st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and was supported by a bearer party from that battalion.

Reverend Benson conducts the service (Photo: Thomas Capiaux).

WO1 Michael Parry-Jones, 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment said:
"Being asked to be part of the burial of LCpl John Street was a great experience, and truly humbling. I’m very glad the team from 1 LANCS executed their part of the funeral well, giving these fallen soldiers an honourable and respectful send off."

 The graves will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

David Royle, who works in the Commemorations team at the CWGC, said:
"It has been an honour researching this case and working with other partners to formally identify Lance Corporal John Street. He can now lay at rest in our Point-du-Jour Military Cemetery, and we will care for his grave and those of his four unidentified comrades in perpetuity."

Lance Corporal John Street

LCpl John Street (copyright unknown). The family of LCpl John Street with the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. (Photo: Crown Copyright).

John Street was born in Runcorn, Cheshire in 1893 to John Street and Ellen Cheetham. John’s mother passed away in 1904, leaving John and his three siblings, however, his father remarried a few years later and went on to have three more children. John was educated at the Runcorn Parish Church School and attended Bethesda Church Sunday School. John was a popular young man who was described as having an ‘exceptionally fine physique’.

John was working at Astmoor Tannery in Runcorn when war broke out. In October 1915, he signed up to join the army and left for France on Christmas evening, joining the 1st Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) on the Western Front. The battalion arrived in France on 23 August 1914 and spent the entire war in France and Belgium. They were involved in almost every major battle in that area. John was killed on 10 April 1917, during the Battle of Arras, but his body was not recovered and he was recorded as missing. John’s family were devastated to learn of his death and have always kept his photograph on their mantlepiece.

In 2018, three sets of remains were recovered on the outskirts of the village of Fampoux during construction work for a new housing estate. After extensive historical research and DNA testing, one of these casualties was identified as LCpl John Street, meaning that he had finally been found more than 100 years after his death.