Plagued by poverty and disease, many people, especially children, bore the brunt of the harsh realities of life. This story aims to accurately reflect the turmoil of Victorian England at the turn of the century. William Chapman and his siblings were constantly shuffled from one dirty workhouse to another, as their family tried to stay one step ahead of unscrupulous slumlords and criminal activity. Eventually, William was taken from the streets and placed into an oppressive English foster care system. Later, he, along with 300 other children, was shipped overseas to toil in the fields of Canadian farmers. At the age of sixteen, seeking to escape his indentured servitude, he joined the Canadian Army, which was mobilizing to support the British Army during World War I.