The Bolitho novels

Series of historical novels by Alexander Kent

The Bolitho novels are a series of nautical war novels by Alexander Kent, the pseudonym of British author Douglas Reeman.[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.

## Richard Bolitho

[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Novels of the series  Internal chronology  | Title  | Publication date  | ISBN  | Set 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
03  | Band of Brothers | 2006  | ISBN 0-434-01010-3 | 1774
04  | Stand into Danger | 1980  | ISBN 0-09-925380-1 | 1774
05  | In Gallant Company | 1977  | ISBN 0-09-916970-3 | 1777
06  | Sloop of War | 1972  | ISBN 0-09-908820-7 | 1778
07  | To Glory We Steer[3] | 1968  | ISBN 978-0-09-952786-2 | 1782
08  | Command a King's Ship | 1973  | ISBN 978-0-09-954985-7 | 1784
09  | Passage To Mutiny | 1976  | ISBN 978-0-09-126330-0 | 1789
10  | With All Despatch | 1988  | ISBN 978-0-09-949388-4 | 1792
11  | Form Line of Battle | 1969  | ISBN 978-0-09-908850-9 | 1793
12  | Enemy in Sight! | 1970  | ISBN 0-09-905520-1 | 1794
13  | Flag Captain | 1971  | ISBN 0-09-907180-0 | 1797
14  | Signal – Close Action! | 1974  | ISBN 0-09-912940-X | 1798
15  | The Inshore Squadron | 1978  | ISBN 0-09-134580-4 | 1800
16  | A Tradition of Victory | 1981  | ISBN 978-0-09-949767-7 | 1801
17  | Success to the Brave | 1983  | ISBN 0-09-936370-4 | 1802
18  | Colours Aloft! | 1986  | ISBN 978-0-09-954339-8 | 1803
19  | Honour This Day | 1987  | ISBN 978-0-09-954341-1 | 1804
20  | The Only Victor | 1990  | ISBN 0-330-31840-3 | 1806
21  | Beyond The Reef | 1992  | ISBN 0-330-31957-4 | 1808
22  | The Darkening Sea | 1993  | ISBN 0-330-32917-0 | 1809
23  | For My Country's Freedom | 1995  | ISBN 0-330-34474-9 | 1811
24  | Cross of St. George | 1996  | ISBN 978-0-09-949773-8 | 1813
25  | Sword of Honour | 1998  | ISBN 0-09-942168-2 | 1814
26  | Second to None | 1999  | ISBN 0-09-928059-0 | 1815
27  | Relentless Pursuit | 2001  | ISBN 978-0-434-00884-1 | 1815
28  | Man of War | 2003  | ISBN 978-0-434-01008-0 | 1817
29  | Heart of Oak | 2007  | ISBN 978-0-434-01351-7 | 1818
30  | In the King's Name | 2011  | 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  Title  | Publication date  | ISBN  | Volumes included

|
|
|

Midshipman Bolitho |  | ISBN 0-09-986350-2 |

* Richard Bolitho, Midshipman
* Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger

Captain Richard Bolitho, RN | 1978  | 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 Omnibus | 1991  | ISBN 0-09-175118-7 |

* Stand into Danger
* In Gallant Company
* Sloop of War

Bolitho | 1993  | ISBN 0-434-00024-8 |

* With All Despatch
* Honour This Day
* The Only Victor

The Complete Midshipman Bolitho | 2006  | ISBN 978-1-59013-127-5 |

* Richard Bolitho, Midshipman
* Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger
* Band of Brothers

## Ships in which Bolitho serves

[edit]

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  | 1798
The 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)  | Lieutenant  | 1800–1801
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 Lieutenant  | 1802
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 Oak
In The King's Name | HMS Onward | 38  | Frigate  | Adam Bolitho  | Captain  | 1818–1819

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (January 2010)

|

## References

[edit]

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

* Douglas Reeman's website on the series

## See also

[edit]

* Novels portal

* Horatio Hornblower
* Douglas Reeman