As a child alec, heir to the big house and only son of a bitter marriage, formed a close friendship with jerry, a village boy who shared his passion for horses. In 1914 both enlisted in the British army - alec goaded by ...As a child alec, heir to the big house and only son of a bitter marriage, formed a close friendship with jerry, a village boy who shared his passion for horses. In 1914 both enlisted in the British army - alec goaded by his beautiful, cold mother to fight for king and country, jerry to learn his trade for the Irish nationalist cause.