The Bolitho novels

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The Bolitho novels are a series of nautical war novels written by British author Douglas Reeman (using the pseudonym Alexander Kent). [1] 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.

Contents

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.[ citation needed ] 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. [2]

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.[ citation needed ]

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 chronologyTitlePublication dateISBNSet in
01 Richard Bolitho, Midshipman 1975 ISBN   0-399-61004-9 1772
02 Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger 1978 ISBN   0-399-20652-3 1773
03Band of Brothers2006 ISBN   0-434-01010-3 1774
04Stand into Danger1980 ISBN   0-09-925380-1 1774
05In Gallant Company1977 ISBN   0-09-916970-3 1777
06Sloop of War1972 ISBN   0-09-908820-7 1778
07To Glory We Steer [3] 1968 ISBN   978-0-09-952786-2 1782
08Command a King's Ship1973 ISBN   978-0-09-954985-7 1784
09Passage To Mutiny1976 ISBN   978-0-09-126330-0 1789
10With All Despatch1988 ISBN   978-0-09-949388-4 1792
11Form Line of Battle1969 ISBN   978-0-09-908850-9 1793
12Enemy in Sight!1970 ISBN   0-09-905520-1 1794
13Flag Captain1971 ISBN   0-09-907180-0 1797
14Signal – Close Action!1974 ISBN   0-09-912940-X 1798
15The Inshore Squadron1978 ISBN   0-09-134580-4 1800
16A Tradition of Victory1981 ISBN   978-0-09-949767-7 1801
17Success to the Brave1983 ISBN   0-09-936370-4 1802
18Colours Aloft!1986 ISBN   978-0-09-954339-8 1803
19Honour This Day1987 ISBN   978-0-09-954341-1 1804
20The Only Victor1990 ISBN   0-330-31840-3 1806
21Beyond The Reef1992 ISBN   0-330-31957-4 1808
22The Darkening Sea1993 ISBN   0-330-32917-0 1809
23For My Country's Freedom1995 ISBN   0-330-34474-9 1811
24Cross of St. George1996 ISBN   978-0-09-949773-8 1813
25Sword of Honour1998 ISBN   0-09-942168-2 1814
26Second to None1999 ISBN   0-09-928059-0 1815
27Relentless Pursuit2001 ISBN   978-0-434-00884-1 1815
28Man of War2003 ISBN   978-0-434-01008-0 1817
29Heart of Oak2007 ISBN   978-0-434-01351-7 1818
30In the King's Name2011 ISBN   978-1-84605-543-0 1819

Several omnibus editions have also been released which collect multiple books from the series into one volume:

Anthologies of the series
TitlePublication dateISBNVolumes included
Midshipman Bolitho ISBN   0-09-986350-2
Captain Richard Bolitho, RN1978 ISBN   978-0-09-134130-5
  • Sloop of War
  • To Glory We Steer
  • Command a King's Ship
Bolitho
  • Colours Aloft
  • Honour This Day
  • The Only Victor
The Bolitho Omnibus1991 ISBN   0-09-175118-7
  • Stand into Danger
  • In Gallant Company
  • Sloop of War
Bolitho1993 ISBN   0-434-00024-8
  • With All Despatch
  • Honour This Day
  • The Only Victor
The Complete Midshipman Bolitho2006 ISBN   978-1-59013-127-5

Ships in which Bolitho serves

Ships served in by Richard Bolitho
BookShipGunsClassCommanding OfficerRankYear
HMS Manxman80 Third-rate ship of the line Captain Sir Henry LangfordMidshipman1768–1772
Richard Bolitho, Midshipman HMS Gorgon74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Beves ConwayMidshipman1772
Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger HM Cutter Avenger10 – 6 lb guns Cutter Lieutenant Hugh BolithoMidshipman1773
Band of BrothersHM Schooner Hotspur14 Armed schooner Lieutenant Montagu VerlingMidshipman1774
Stand into DangerHMS Destiny28 Frigate Captain Henry DumaresqLieutenant1774
In Gallant CompanyHMS Trojan80Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Gilbert PearsLieutenant1777
Sloop of WarHM Sloop Sparrow18 Sloop-of-war Commander Richard BolithoCommander, junior captain1778–1781
To Glory We SteerHMS Phalarope32FrigateCaptain Richard BolithoPost captain1782
Command a King's ShipHMS Undine32FrigateCaptain Richard BolithoPost captain1784
Passage To MutinyHMS Tempest36FrigateCaptain Richard BolithoPost captain1789
With All DispatchHM Cutter Telemachus12CutterLieutenant Jonas PaiceCaptain-in-chief1792
With All DispatchHM Cutter Snapdragon12CutterLieutenant Hector VatassCaptain-in-chief1792
With All DispatchHM Cutter Wakeful12CutterLieutenant Charles QueelyCaptain-in-chief1792
Form Line of Battle!
Enemy in Sight!
HMS Hyperion74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Richard BolithoPost captain1793
The Flag CaptainHMS Euryalus100 First-rate ship of the lineCaptain Richard BolithoPost captain1797
Signal – Close Action!HMS Lysander74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Thomas HerrickCommodore1798
The Inshore Squadron
A Tradition of Victory
HMS Benbow74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Thomas HerrickRear-admiral1800–1801
Success to the BraveHMS Achates64Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Valentine KeenVice-admiral1802
Colours Aloft!HMS Argonaute74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Valentine KeenVice-admiral1803
Honour This DayHMS Hyperion74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain Edmund Haven
Captain Valentine Keen
Vice-admiral1804–1805
The Only VictorHMS Truculent36FrigateCaptain Daniel PolandVice-admiral1806
The Only Victor
Beyond The Reef
HMS Black Prince94 Second-rate ship of the lineCaptain Valentine KeenVice-admiral1806–1809
The Darkening SeaHMS Valkyrie42FrigateCaptain Aaron TrevenenVice-admiral1809–1810
For My Country's Freedom
Cross of St George
HMS Indomitable44 Razee Captain James TyackeAdmiral1811–1813
Sword of HonourHMS Frobisher74Third-rate ship of the lineCaptain James TyackeAdmiral1814
Ships served in by Adam Bolitho
BookShipGunsClassCommanding OfficerRankYear
Enemy in Sight!HMS Hyperion74Third-rate ship of the lineRichard BolithoMidshipman1794
HMS Impulsive64Third-rate ship of the lineThomas HerrickMidshipman1795–1797
Signal -Close Action!HMS Lysander74Third-rate ship of the lineRichard Bolitho (commodore)Lieutenant1798–1800
The Inshore SquadronHMS Benbow74Third-rate ship of the lineThomas Herrick (Flag Captain)Lieutenant1800-1801
A Tradition of VictoryHMS Phalarope32FrigateDaniel EmesLieutenant1801
Success to the BraveHMS Achates64Third-rate ship of the lineValentine Keen (Flag Captain)Flag Lieutenant1802
Colours Aloft!
Honour This Day
HMS Firefly14 Brig Adam BolithoCommander/captain1803–1805
The Only Victor
Beyond the Reef
The Darkening Sea
For My Country's Freedom
HMS Anemone38FrigateAdam BolithoCaptain1806–1812
Cross of St George
Sword of Honour
HMS Valkyrie42FrigateAdam BolithoFlag captain1813–1814
Second to None
Relentless Pursuit
HMS Unrivalled46FrigateAdam BolithoCaptain1815
Man of WarHMS Athena74Third-rate ship of the lineAdam BolithoFlag captain1817
Heart of Oak
In The King's Name
HMS Onward38FrigateAdam BolithoCaptain1818–1819

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References

  1. "Douglas Reeman's Official Website". Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  2. "Falmouth Parish Church;The Church of King Charles the Martyr;A Short Tour of the Church". Falmouth Parrish Church, Falmouth, Cornwall, England. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2011. The foundation stone for the Church was laid in August 1662 and it was consecrated in 1665, so in comparison with many other Cornish churches the Church of King Charles the Martyr is practically new!
  3. The name of this book is derived from "Heart of Oak", the official march of the Royal Navy

See also