In the early days of the war, after enrolling in the Auxiliary Fire Brigade in East London, day by day they fight the raging fires as thousands of incendiaries and high explosives fall around them. Meanwhile their wives, Eva, Sarah and Esther, have joined the WVS, driving their van to badly bombed areas, serving sandwiches and hot tea to the fire-fighters, homeless and the various services, searching the rubble looking for survivors.
In the skies above, Wolfe's eldest son Isaac flies his Spitfire through the fast, furious adrenalin pumping battle against the invading Luftwaffe. Later, Asher's eldest son Abraham becomes an officer and is sent to France where he and his men are part of the retreat to Dunkirk.
Wolfe's other son Saul is badly beaten by a loan shark and card club owner Bull Burgess and his two cronies over a gambling debt. When Wolfe finds out that Burgess cheats at cards, he decides to do something about it.
During the bombing, unscrupulous people take advantage property-owners are in the shelters by entering their homes and stealing from them. One such man is Spider Munro. But when he comes up against the East End Boys he meets his match. As a deserter in an army prison he has even more incentive for revenge against the three firemen.
Through the following turbulent years the East End Boys and their children call on their unwavering faith in God to survive the horrors of a devastating war.
