The Bolitho novels are a series of nautical war novels by Alexander Kent, the pseudonym of British author Douglas Reeman. They focus on the military careers of the fictional Richard Bolitho and Adam Bolitho in the Royal Navy, from the time of the American Revolution past the Napoleonic Era.
Richard Bolitho
Richard Bolitho is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the main character in Reeman's novels. Bolitho was born in 1756 in Falmouth, Cornwall, in Great Britain, the second son of a prestigious naval family. He joined the navy in 1768 and served in the wars against France and the United States. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1774, captain in 1782, and admiral in 1812. He died in action against the French in 1815. He played a significant role in driving the Americans back to Brooklyn Heights in 1776, helping to secure a decisive British victory in the largest battle of the entire American Revolution.
The name Bolitho is a common Cornish surname, but Reeman says that he borrowed the name Richard Bolitho from a real person, "a distinguished old chap" he had met in the Channel Islands when he sailed his boat there. Reeman also states that the real Richard Bolitho was the brother of the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall.
Among his fellow officers, Bolitho is known for his tactical ingenuity, his daring, and his disregard of both convention and political expediency. He rises to high rank—despite the opposition of less competent men—because of his ability to win crucial victories against seemingly impossible odds. Among the men of the fleet, Bolitho is known as a demanding but scrupulously fair and humane captain. The men sometimes refer to him, though never to his face, as "Equality Dick". His reputation as a paragon of decency in a brutal world creates a fierce sense of loyalty among those who serve under him.
Officers and men who serve under Bolitho frequently choose, when given the chance, to do so again. Ships in the squadrons he commands as a senior officer are frequently commanded by men who had served as his lieutenants when he was a captain. His most lasting relationships are with Thomas Herrick—a fellow officer and his oldest friend—and John Allday, a former Cornish shepherd who became Bolitho's coxswain and de facto bodyguard.
Bolitho had a number of romances. One of the first was Viola Raymond, the wife of an English diplomat. She died while Bolitho and a small number of his crew were stranded in a boat in the tropics, but it was her courage and sacrifice that rallied the crew. Bolitho married twice. His first wife, Cheney Seton, died in a carriage accident whilst carrying their unborn child. His relationship with the second, Belinda, the mother of his child Elizabeth, deteriorated when it became clear that she was nothing like the person he thought he married and was a very selfish individual. Estranged from her and his daughter, he carried on an increasingly public affair with Lady Catherine Somervell, who was his wife in all but name until his death.
Douglas Reeman uses some real locations as settings for his stories. The fictitious Bolitho ancestral home near Falmouth, Cornwall was inspired by a house which Reeman saw and photographed in the 1960s at Philleigh near the King Harry Ferry in Cornwall. In reality, the house is not near Falmouth at all, so Reeman "relocated" it for his novels. However, the Church of King Charles the Martyr, which is mentioned in the books, really does exist in Falmouth.
Reeman's own Royal Navy career and lifelong interest in sailing informed his seafaring novels. He saw active service with the Royal Navy during the Second World War, serving in the North Sea, Arctic, Atlantic and Mediterranean campaigns. Starting as a midshipman on destroyers, he later transferred to motor torpedo boats, where he was twice mentioned in dispatches.
Adam Bolitho Adam Bolitho is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is another main character in Reeman's novels, succeeding the previous main character, Richard Bolitho.
In Enemy in Sight, Richard Bolitho is joined by his nephew Adam Pascoe, who is later renamed Adam Bolitho when he becomes Richard's heir. Adam, the only son of Richard's disgraced older brother Hugh, was born in 1780 in Penzance, Cornwall, shortly after his father joined the revolution in America. Having been sent to Richard at the age of 14 by his dying mother, he joined the Royal Navy, rising through the ranks to establish himself as a daring and resourceful frigate captain, as his uncle had once done.
Adam's role in the series steadily increases as Richard ages and achieves high rank. After Richard's death, he becomes the principal character in the series.
Books in the series + Novels of the series Internal chronology Title Publication date ISBN Set in01 Richard Bolitho, Midshipman 1975 177202 Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger 1978 177303 Band of Brothers 2006 177404 Stand into Danger 1980 177405 In Gallant Company 1977 177706 Sloop of War 1972 177807 To Glory We SteerThe name of this book is derived from "Heart of Oak", the official march of the Royal Navy 1968 178208 Command a King's Ship 1973 178409 Passage To Mutiny 1976 178910 With All Despatch 1988 179211 Form Line of Battle 1969 179312 Enemy in Sight! 1970 179413 Flag Captain 1971 179714 Signal – Close Action! 1974 179815 The Inshore Squadron 1978 180016 A Tradition of Victory 1981 180117 Success to the Brave 1983 180218 Colours Aloft! 1986 180319 Honour This Day 1987 180420 The Only Victor 1990 180621 Beyond The Reef 1992 180822 The Darkening Sea 1993 180923 For My Country's Freedom 1995 181124 Cross of St. George 1996 181325 Sword of Honour 1998 181426 Second to None 1999 181527 Relentless Pursuit 2001 181528 Man of War 2003 181729 Heart of Oak 2007 181830 In the King's Name 2011 1819
Several omnibus editions have also been released which collect multiple books from the series into one volume:
+ Anthologies of the series Title Publication date ISBN Volumes included Midshipman Bolitho Richard Bolitho, Midshipman Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger Captain Richard Bolitho, RN 1978 Sloop of War To Glory We Steer Command a King's Ship Bolitho Colours Aloft Honour This Day The Only Victor The Bolitho Omnibus 1991 Stand into Danger In Gallant Company Sloop of War Bolitho 1993 With All Despatch Honour This Day The Only Victor The Complete Midshipman Bolitho 2006 Richard Bolitho, Midshipman Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger Band of Brothers
Ships in which Bolitho serves +Ships served in by Richard Bolitho Book Ship Guns Class Commanding Officer Rank Year HMS Manxman 80 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Sir Henry Langford Midshipman 1768–1772 Richard Bolitho, Midshipman HMS Gorgon 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Beves Conway Midshipman 1772 Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger HM Cutter Avenger 10–6 lb guns Cutter Lieutenant Hugh Bolitho Midshipman 1773 Band of Brothers HM Schooner Hotspur 14 Armed schooner Lieutenant Montagu Verling Midshipman 1774 Stand into Danger HMS Destiny 28 Frigate Captain Henry Dumaresq Lieutenant 1774 In Gallant Company HMS Trojan 80 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Gilbert Pears Lieutenant 1777 Sloop of War HM Sloop Sparrow 18 Sloop-of-war Commander Richard Bolitho Commander, junior captain 1778–1781 To Glory We Steer HMS Phalarope 32 Frigate Captain Richard Bolitho Post captain 1782 Command a King's Ship HMS Undine 32 Frigate Captain Richard Bolitho Post captain 1784 Passage To Mutiny HMS Tempest 36 Frigate Captain Richard Bolitho Post captain 1789 With All Dispatch HM Cutter Telemachus 12 Cutter Lieutenant Jonas Paice Captain-in-chief 1792 With All Dispatch HM Cutter Snapdragon 12 Cutter Lieutenant Hector Vatass Captain-in-chief 1792 With All Dispatch HM Cutter Wakeful 12 Cutter Lieutenant Charles Queely Captain-in-chief 1792 Form Line of Battle! Enemy in Sight! HMS Hyperion 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Richard Bolitho Post captain 1793 The Flag Captain HMS Euryalus 100 First-rate ship of the line Captain Richard Bolitho Post captain 1797 Signal – Close Action! HMS Lysander 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Thomas Herrick Commodore 1798The Inshore Squadron A Tradition of Victory HMS Benbow 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Thomas Herrick Rear-admiral 1800–1801 Success to the Brave HMS Achates 64 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Valentine Keen Vice-admiral 1802 Colours Aloft! HMS Argonaute 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Valentine Keen Vice-admiral 1803 Honour This Day HMS Hyperion 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Edmund Haven Captain Valentine Keen Vice-admiral 1804–1805 The Only Victor HMS Truculent 36 Frigate Captain Daniel Poland Vice-admiral 1806 The Only Victor Beyond The Reef HMS Black Prince 94 Second-rate ship of the line Captain Valentine Keen Vice-admiral 1806–1809 The Darkening Sea HMS Valkyrie 42 Frigate Captain Aaron Trevenen Vice-admiral 1809–1810 For My Country's Freedom Cross of St George HMS Indomitable 44 Razee Captain James Tyacke Admiral 1811–1813 Sword of Honour HMS Frobisher 74 Third-rate ship of the line Captain James Tyacke Admiral 1814
+Ships served in by Adam Bolitho Book Ship Guns Class Commanding Officer Rank Year Enemy in Sight! HMS Hyperion 74 Third-rate ship of the line Richard Bolitho Midshipman 1794 HMS Impulsive 64 Third-rate ship of the line Thomas Herrick Midshipman 1795–1797 Signal -Close Action! HMS Lysander 74 Third-rate ship of the line Richard Bolitho (commodore) Lieutenant 1798–1800 The Inshore Squadron HMS Benbow 74 Third-rate ship of the line Thomas Herrick (Flag Captain) Lieutenant1800–1801 A Tradition of Victory HMS Phalarope 32 Frigate Daniel Emes Lieutenant 1801 Success to the Brave HMS Achates 64 Third-rate ship of the line Valentine Keen (Flag Captain) Flag Lieutenant1802 Colours Aloft!Honour This Day HMS Firefly 14 Brig Adam Bolitho Commander/captain 1803–1805 The Only Victor Beyond the Reef The Darkening Sea For My Country's Freedom HMS Anemone 38 Frigate Adam Bolitho Captain 1806–1812 Cross of St George Sword of Honour HMS Valkyrie 42 Frigate Adam Bolitho Flag captain 1813–1814 Second to None Relentless Pursuit HMS Unrivalled 46 Frigate Adam Bolitho Captain 1815 Man of War HMS Athena 74 Third-rate ship of the line Adam Bolitho Flag captain 1817 Heart of OakIn The King's Name HMS Onward 38 Frigate Adam Bolitho Captain 1818–1819
References
Douglas Reeman's website on the series
See also
Horatio Hornblower Douglas Reeman
de:Richard Bolitho