It is early December 1898. New South Wales is about to send its first contingent of soldiers to South Africa to join British forces in the empire's fight against the Boers. It will be accompanied by the New South Wales Field Ambulance. Young Sydney doctor Mark Dunkley, a new and relatively junior officer in the Ambulance receives notice to join his unit for service abroad. We follow him during the excitement prior to embarking for the sea voyage, the development of his first romance, the activities of his unit, and the humour and tragedy that play out in wartime. The story unfolds against the backdrop of a brutal conflict and the reaction of men and women to this new type of warfare.