Episode 1

During the British invasion of Iraq in April 2003, three soldiers from the same unit come under cross-fire in a Basra flat. While there, an explosion has huge consequences for an Iraqi girl, and will radically shape the lives of Danny, Mike and Hibbs over the coming years.

Failing to adjust to civilian life in Manchester, each man is inspired to return to Basra; one for money, one for love, and one because he passionately believes in the mission to rebuild Iraq. They return, later that year, to a Basra awash with billions of US dollars, creating a boom-time for private military contractors.

The drama charts their interwoven journeys from the invasion of Iraq to the present, and shows how these three friends, united in battle, are torn apart by the aftermath.