A BOOK has been released, documenting the lives of three Marbury farmers who went to three wars on horses.

A Horse, A Sword and A Rifle, written by Mary Jones, celebrates the lives of Joseph Dodd, Sydney Williams and John Williams, three generations of farmers who fought or were involved in three generations of war.

Joseph Dodd rode in the Boer War as a dispatch rider and batman to Lord Dudley.

He rode with Winston Churchill who, according to family stories shouted, "You ride with me Dodd".

On his return he followed Lord Dudley to Ireland were Lord Dudley was Lord Lieutenant and where Joseph learnt to train racehorses.

When Lord Dudley went to Australia, Joseph returned to rent a farm in Marbury next door to his father which he set up as a racing stable.

He went on to train the 1928 Grand National Winner Tipperary Tim which hold two race records, the least number to finish and the highest prize money.

Joseph's son-in-law, Sydney Williams rode in the First World War pulling the guns to the front lines.

He suffered from mustard gas poisoning and from living in damp wet boots for days on end.

His arthritis was so bad that when he came home he could not dress himself.

He and his wife, Dorothy, rented 20 acres and worked up over their working lives.

On retirement they farmed more than 200 acres and brought up six children. Dorothy was a trained Cheese maker, and this contributed to the family income for many years.

Much of this information came from a small book that their son, John Williams wrote in his retirement.

John, because of his love of horses, had joined the Shropshire Yeomanry before the war, this was a voluntary regiment similar to the territorial army.

With them he could compete on horseback along with others as a hobby and a change from working on the farm.

This regiment was called up at the beginning of the Second World War.

When the horses were stood down he trained as a mechanic but health problems ment that he was downgraded from front line duties.

He was sent to the only Allied ski training camp situated an hours drive up from Beirut in Lebanon.

Here he taught himself Arabic and worked with the locals translating and buying food in the local markets.

All three men were connected to Marbury on the Cheshire and Shropshire borders, they all either farmed or lived in the village where seven members of their family also farmed over the years.

The book can purchased from Amazon for £7.99.