THE 215th meeting took place on April 27. There were 29 members in attendance with 14 apologies.

President Horace Jobson welcomed everyone with a special welcome to David Hunt, attending as a guest of Bert Randall. Congratulations were extended to Graham Hobart on his recent birthday.

After lunch the president introduced the speaker, vice president and secretary Bob Woodfield, with his subject 'The Age of Innocence.'

John Purton, an American soldier, is one of 48 names on the town war memorial who were killed during World War I. He was not an Alcester man, but his family were.

Mr Woodfield had become interested in finding out more about him and had travelled to the American sector in eastern France just north of Verdun.

Born in 1898, he joined the American army in 1916 and saw service on the Texas/Mexican border. Known to his family in England as "Sgt Jack", he was killed in October 1918 whilst serving with the 137th Infantry Regiment as part of the 35th Division in the vicinity of the Meuse/Argonne area. One of his Company Commanders was Harry Trueman, later to become President.

Many criticisms are aimed at the USA for their apparent reluctance to enter the war as late as 1917.

Some factors are probably not appreciated including the fact that some 15,000,000 citizens of old German stock. President Wilson, though not wishing to become involved, realised that his country needed a greater defence force and the strength of the army was doubled and the navy started to expand.

Submarine warfare recommenced in January 1917 with the sinking of American ships en route to England by submarines and as a result the US entered the war.

A group of six American destroyers arrived in Britain in May 1917 followed by the first US division landing in France. The 35th Division, of which the 137th Infantry Regiment formed a part, had been organised in Oklahoma in August 1917 and in April 1918 advanced detachments sailed from New York and on landing were attached to the British 30th Division for training in trench warfare. On June 8 they travelled to the front and John Purton was killed when the 137th Infantry Regiment as part of the 35th Division advanced in the Grange-le-Compte Sector in the vicinity of Vauquis.

On November 11 the 35th Division was engaged in enforcing the Armistice and salvaging equipment. Casualties sustained by the Americans in the period of activities September to the end of hostilities in the area of Meause/Argonne were: 945 killed, 250 deaths as a result of wounds, with a further 5,000 wounded. Vernon Munton gave the vote of thanks.