S1 • E1
Tasha Raveley's husband Matt is killed in Afghanistan. His parents,Paula and Howard,a veteran military couple,organize a military funeral but Tasha struggles to accept her widowhood and channels her affections into her young son Alfie. When Paula opens a letter from Matt to Tasha,revealing that they had a big row Paula sees that Matt was distracted at the time of his death and blames Tasha. Claire Marshbrook,about to marry Major Pete Bartham,offers Tasha sympathy and lasagne and Pete gives a fine oration at the funeral whilst later admitting to Claire that Matt was not a very good soldier but felt the family deserved the speech. Louise Mancetta keeps in touch with her soldier husband Joe through Skype and feels her marriage is solid so she is appalled to see a grainy picture of a nude Joe with another woman.
S1 • E2
When Joe returns from Afghanistan for a fortnight's leave Louise confronts him over the picture,which he claims is a doctored fake. At a charity day to commemorate Matt Louise sees the woman in the picture,soldier Nicki,and warns her off but later catches up with the guilty pair talking secretly at a gym and is convinced of Joe's infidelity as he returns to Afghanistan. Tasha's mother,Cheryl,arrives from Spain and instantly clashes with Paula over her upbringing of grandson Alfie. Tasha confides in her mother that she is pregnant with Matt's baby and Cheryl agrees to stay on to help her. Claire goes for a job interview with a kitchen company and is initially turned down since,as an army wife,she may move out of the area but,having proved her commitment after staging a sit-in,is taken on on trial.
S1 • E3
Claire does well at work but has yet to inform Pete,still on tour of duty. She also discovers Pete's daughter Millie in a state of undress with soldier boyfriend Rob and promises not to tell her father provided she ends the affair. When Pete comes home he is annoyed to find that Claire got a job behind his back but he has another problem when his commanding officer Spalden tells him that Matt's brother Tom is planning to change his evidence at the inquest which is likely to discredit Pete. Later Pete hears Claire arguing with Millie,who has not dropped Rob and the affair comes out into the open but Millie's brother Sam,feeling rejected,disappears. Cheryl suggests Tasha move to Spain with her but when Tasha finds her mother in bed with Glen,her boyfriend from Spain,the two women row and Cheryl goes home alone. Paula commissions a portrait of Matt,which pleases Howard, though Paula comes to hate it as a reminder that her son will never come back.
S1 • E4
Though Sam is returned Claire believes that the stressed Pete needs her support at Matt's inquest and ,after an incident at work,resigns her job to accompany him. His evidence is that Matt was a hero,who died saving a child and is commended by the coroner for his own efforts to save Matt's life. The embittered Paula tries to use the letter her son sent to Tasha in evidence but Tom,rather than offer any controversy as expected,backs Pete and a verdict of Accidental Death is recorded. A dissatisfied Paula,having rowed with Howard,finds comfort in her growing friendship with Faisal,another bereaved parent and,when Tasha visits Howard to give him a birthday present she finds that Paula is out with Faisal and has forgotten her husband's birthday. LOuise goes drinking with her friend Julie and ends up flirting with Joe's friend Carl though he tells her that he will not be used for her to get back at Joe whilst Millie gets dumped by Rob.
S1 • E5
The troops return from Afghanistan and Joe finds that Louise has changed the locks on their front door. Initially they agree to pretend to stay together so that their children will not be made homeless but Joe then finds out that Louise has been seeing Carl and beats him up. This prompts Louise to take her daughters and leave Joe but finds that he has already collected them from school and run off with them. Helped by Claire she tracks them down and Joe is arrested by the military police. Tom returns some of brother Matt's belongings to Tasha and they end up kissing. Howard tells Paula that they have no money and may have to give up the cook-house as an international coffee chain has made a lucrative offer. Paula,however,is not ready to give up and asks mess manager Simon Spader to dinner,hoping that she can charm him into giving her a contract.
S1 • E6
Claire's wedding plans are interrupted when Sam is arrested for smoking weed belonging to her ex-husband Martin. Feeling confused she cancels the wedding on her hen night,ringing Pete to say that she no longer feels like herself. Tasha goes into labour at home and Tom delivers her baby daughter,the presence of a grandchild doing something to give Paula and Howard a lasting memory of their other son. Louise feels happy with Carl until she finds out that he sent the compromising photo of Joe and decides to move on and leave the area. Claire has a heart to heart with Martin and admits that what really scares her is being the wife of a soldier,who may get killed at any time but accepts that she will truly lose Pete if she does not marry him. So the wedding goes ahead with Sam giving his mother away and Howard and Paula,having won their contract,providing the catering. Louise,however, slips away from the festivities to say goodbye to Joe...
Tasha Raveley
Claire Marshbrook
Major Peter Bartham
Joe Mancetta
Paula Raveley
Millie Bartham
Sgt Howard Raveley
Louise Mancetta
Sgt Carl Haleford
Adam Smeeton