Simon is in his last year at prep school and always seems to be in trouble. Falling foul of the teachers, his mother and finally his best friend, Simon finds solace in the History lessons, losing himself in tales from World War One. A homework assignment leads to his father digging out an old trunk that holds secrets of a distant relative who fought in the Great War. Looking through it, Simon and his father find an old whistle. What story does it hold? Together, they trace the story of Tom Beal, who was only a few years older than Simon when he volunteered and signed up in 1914.