Geoffrey Austin Street, (21 January 1894 – 13 August 1940) was an Australian army officer and politician. He was a member of the United Australia Party (UAP) and served as Minister for Defence (1938–1939), the Army (1939–1940) and Repatriation (1940) in the early years of Australia's involvement in the Second World War.
Street enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on the outbreak of the First World War. He served in the Gallipoli Campaign and on the Western Front, winning the Military Cross and ending the war with the rank of major; he was later promoted to brigadier in the reserve of officers. Street subsequently farmed near Lismore, Victoria, entering politics with the support of Robert Menzies. He won the Division of Corangamite at the 1934 federal election and was promoted to cabinet in 1938 by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. Following Lyons' death the following year, Menzies became prime minister and Street oversaw an expansion of the military. He was killed in the 1940 Canberra air disaster along with two cabinet colleagues and the head of the army.
Early life and education
Street was born on 21 January 1894 in Woollahra, New South Wales. A member of the Street family, he was the second of four children born to Mary Veronica (née Austin) and John William Street. His father was a "prosperous city solicitor" and his mother was the niece of poet laureate Alfred Austin. His maternal grandfather Henry Austin was the chairman of the Perpetual Trustee Company, which was founded by his forebear John Rendell Street. He attended Sydney Grammar School, where he was captain of the school cricket team and also represented the school in rugby union, swimming and athletics. He passed his senior examinations in December 1912 and enrolled in law at the University of Sydney, initially studying towards a Bachelor of Arts degree. He had an "undistinguished academic record" but continued his involvement in sport, both as a player and in administrative capacities.
First World War
In August 1914, following the outbreak of the First World War, Street enlisted as a private in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. He was due to sail with the expeditionary force to German New Guinea, but instead transferred to the 1st Brigade of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in order to go to Europe. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st Battalion and left Sydney aboard HMAT Afric on 18 October 1914.
Street arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, in early December. After further training his battalion sailed via Lemnos to participate in the Gallipoli campaign. He participated in the Landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915 as platoon commander of "D" Company. He and his men reinforced a hill named Baby 700 and succeeded in holding the position for several days. Street received a "slight" wound to the head and was evacuated back to Egypt, where he was promoted to full lieutenant with effect from 26 April. He returned a month later and led a mission on 4 June to eliminate an Ottoman machine-gun, which ended in him "unexpectedly stumbling into Turkish troops in a supposedly unoccupied 'sniper’s trench'". His sergeant on the mission Harry Freame became a lifelong friend. Street was subsequently appointed acting adjutant of the 1st Battalion and in November was promoted to captain. He and the 1st Battalion were evacuated to Egypt the following month.
In early 1916, Street went to France with the 1st Battalion. He was soon seconded to the 14th Battalion where served as staff captain during the Battle of Fromelles, in charge of the 4th Brigade's report centre. He was sent to Cambridge, England, for further training in February 1917. He returned to the front in July 1917 as brigade major to Brigadier General Harold "Pompey" Elliott; he was promoted major in October. Their working relationship was poor. While Elliott described Street as "a very decent boy" and "a very lovable lad", he regarded him as constantly needing direction and overinvolved with recreational activities. He also "resented having the charming and well-connected staff officer foisted upon him" in place of one of his own men of a lower social standing. Street was finally transferred away from Elliott's staff in April 1918 following an incident in which a poorly worded order placed three battalions in danger.