(extract) “If you want your fiction to cut deep, study the Forlorn Hope. It’s not the gore that makes it agonizing – it’s the humanity.”

So, there you have it. Butterfield’s view on history - chaotic, unpredictable, and full of mistakes - isn’t just a historical lesson. It’s a writer’s goldmine.

The fun, chaotic, and deeply human part of the story is what happens when ideals crash and burn