Who is to control South Africa; the British imperialists or the Boer farmers? Neither will compromise. The farmers determine upon a pre-emptive strike to seize the British colonies of Natal and the Cape before their enemy can reinforce and bring to bear his overwhelming military might. Their initial successes stun the world and embarrass and shame Britain. The relief of a besieged Army in Ladysmith becomes an imperial imperative. British honour and military credibility are at stake. Jan, a young farmer from the Transvaal, and Jack, a cotton worker from Lancashire, strike out on paths which bring them together on the top of a blood-stained hill. The battle for Spion Kop proves to be the most desperate and costly of the whole war, and one which both sides believe they have lost. The fight sucks in thousands of participants including Lieutenant Winston Churchill and Sergeant-Major Mohandas Gandhi. At home in Rochdale Mary, Jack's childhood friend and recent lover, anxiously waits for news of his fate. Whilst in Natal Ruth, Jan's fiery and passionate sister, follows the men onto the battlefield inspired by her patriotism and attracted by a handsome American volunteer. British Generals struggle to understand the changing requirements of war, and for some this battle will prove to be their professional nadir with life-changing consequences.