Pre Downton Abbey. 1902 -1903. The life and times of young John Bates during the Second Boer War. Twists and turns of his life that take him from being a happily married young soldier to a cripple and a drunk.Discover the soul crushing secret that convinced him he was undeserving of a good woman's love. And learn about a secret love who held John's heart after Vera and before Anna.