I just love the days when you come out of the archives with half a dozen excellent descriptions or poignant accounts of personal experiences.

I think one of the great disasters (in military history) is the way that the Second World War has become the defining reference point for every crisis and every conflict.

The blurring of fact and fiction has great commercial potential, which is bound to be corrupting in historical terms.

I just write the sort of book that I would enjoy reading myself, a book that is both scholarly and recreates the experience of people at that time.

I joined the Army in 1965 and served with the 11th Hussars, which I loved. The regiment was so relaxed - a salute was more like a friendly wave.

When I was a child I had something called Perthes' Disease which meant I was on crutches, so I was bullied at school and all that sort of stuff.

It takes me three or four years to research and write each book and the individual stories stay with you for a long time afterwards.