When the Trumpet Sounds

In the first decade of the 20^th century, the Mercer family resides in a picturesque village in Dorset, England. The oldest son, Billy, is particularly mischievous , his pranks on the pious Reverend Wilmot creating many humorous situations. Because of Billy’s ability with his fists, he is known in the village as “fighting Billy Mercer.”

Difficult economic conditions force his family to immigrate to Toronto, Canada, where he confronts diverse and amusing characters, as well as difficult decisions. Eventually, Billy attends a local Salvation Army church, where he trades his fists for a trumpet. The Salvation Army becomes an integral part of his young life as he ponders the great God/mystery.

The dramatic tale climaxes on the decks of the ill-fated Empress of Ireland, which is rammed by a collier in the St. Lawrence River in 1914. It sinks in fourteen minutes, 840 passengers losing their lives. It was to be the nation’s greatest maritime disaster—Canada’s Titanic.