The Bolitho novels


The Bolitho novels are a series of nautical war novels written by Douglas Reeman. They focus on the military careers of 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 a series of novels written by Douglas Reeman. 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. He 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 was known for his tactical ingenuity, his daring, and his disregard of both convention and political expediency. He rose 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 was known as a demanding but scrupulously fair and humane captain. The men sometimes referred to him, though never to his face, as "Equality Dick." His reputation as a paragon of decency in a brutal world created a fierce sense of loyalty among those who had served under him.
Officers and men who served under Bolitho frequently chose, when given the chance, to do so again. Ships in the squadrons he commanded as a senior officer were frequently commanded by men who had served as his lieutenants when he was a captain. His most lasting relationships were 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 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 occurs in the books, really does exist in Falmouth.
Reeman's own Royal Navy career and lifelong interest in sailing inform 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 in 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 the main character in a series of novels written by Douglas Reeman, 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

TitlePublication dateISBNInternal chronology
01) Richard Bolitho, Midshipman19751772
02) Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger19781773
03) Band of Brothers20061774
04) Stand into Danger19801774
05) In Gallant Company19771777
06) Sloop of War19721778
07) To Glory We Steer19681782
08) Command a King's Ship19731784
09) Passage To Mutiny19761789
10) With All Despatch19881792
11) Form Line of Battle19691793
12) Enemy in Sight!19701794
13) Flag Captain19711797
14) Signal – Close Action!19741798
15) The Inshore Squadron19781800
16) A Tradition of Victory19811801
17) Success to the Brave19831802
18) Colours Aloft!19861803
19) Honour This Day19871804
20) The Only Victor19901806
21) Beyond The Reef19921808
22) The Darkening Sea19931809
23) For My Country's Freedom19951811
24) Cross of St. George19961813
25) Sword of Honour19981814
26) Second to None19991815
27) Relentless Pursuit20011815
28) Man of War20031817
29) Heart of Oak20071818
30) In the King's Name20111819

There were also some omnibus editions which collected several books from the series into one volume
TitlePublication dateISBNVolumes included
Midshipman Bolitho
  • Richard Bolitho, Midshipman
  • Midshipman Bolitho and the 'Avenger'
Captain Richard Bolitho, RN1978
  • Sloop of War
  • To Glory We Steer
  • Command a King's Ship
    • Bolitho
  • Colours Aloft
  • Honour This Day
  • The Only Victor
    • The Bolitho Omnibus1991
  • Stand into Danger
  • In Gallant Company
  • Sloop of War
    • Bolitho1993
  • With All Despatch
  • Honour This Day
  • The Only Victor
    • The Complete Midshipman Bolitho2006
  • Richard Bolitho, Midshipman
  • Midshipman Bolitho and the 'Avenger'
  • Band of Brothers

    • Ships in which Bolitho serves

    BookShipGunsClassCaptainRankYear
    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 Lieutenant1798–1800
    The Inshore SquadronHMS Benbow74Third-rate ship of the lineThomas Herrick Lieutenant1800-1801
    A Tradition of VictoryHMS Phalarope32FrigateDaniel EmesLieutenant1801
    Success to the BraveHMS Achates64Third-rate ship of the lineValentine Keen Flag Lieutenant1802
    Colours Aloft!
    Honour This Day    		HMS Firefly14BrigAdam 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