Sacked for his poor performance during the Siege of Tobruk, he later briefly commanded the 16th Motorised Infantry Division during the advance on Moscow.

Born in Augustenburg on 16 April 1891, Streich joined the army of Imperial Germany as an Fahnen-junker (officer cadet) in 1911 after completing his schooling.

He was commissioned into the 2nd Railroad Regiment, stationed at Berlin-Schöneberg and operating the Royal Prussian Military Railway, as a leutnant (second lieutenant) two years later.

By early 1939, tensions had escalated to the point where Streich's divisional commander had to resolve the situation by moving the two junior officers to new roles with other units.

[2] Streich's 15th Panzer Regiment played only a minor role in the Invasion of Poland but was more prominent in the Battle of France the following year.

At one stage, Streich had a dispute with Generalmajor Erwin Rommel,[Note 1] whose 7th Panzer Division was operating nearby, over some bridging equipment.

[6] When Streich opposed orders to attack the town of Mechili on 7 April on the grounds his division was not prepared, Rommel accused him of cowardice.

Streich returned to Germany and Generaloberst Franz Halder,[Note 3] the head of the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) and an acquaintance from his time at the Army Ordnance Office, soon found him a new assignment on the Eastern Front.