Bert, the second-oldest man in Britain, is now the subject of a film chronicling his life and the story of his village. He recalls for us the summer of 1914, when he was just twelve years old.

January of 1915 found the Middleton farm struggling through a season of bitter hardship, and John had taken to solace in drink. Then came an unsettling event at the manor house nearby.

For the first time in British history, conscription was enacted. Notices summoning men to service arrived in every household across the village, and the authorities commandeered Big Molly—a significant disruption to life as it had always be…

For Bert, securing victory in the Rondo – the yearly wheelbarrow race held upon the cricket field – had become a desperate necessity; his triumph was now inextricably linked to Joe’s safety.

Joe’s short respite has ended. He’s made a valiant effort to hide the effects of what he’s experienced, yet Grace perceives that something isn’t right. Bert’s behavior brings about devastating repercussions for the entire family.

The fighting has ceased, and now the village struggles to reconcile itself with what it has lost. A disagreement arises regarding the most fitting way to remember those who are gone, fracturing the community's unity.