Bartimeus is the pen name of Captain Sir Lewis Anselm da Costa Ritchie, R.N. (1886-1967). He joined the Royal Navy in 1901 serving through the second world war, and retired as captain of the royal yacht. He became Press Secretary to King George VI in 1944 and served in this role until after the Royal family's 1947 voyage aboard HMS Vanguard and tour of South Africa.
His birth name was Ricci, which he changed by deed poll in 1941, and it is believed he may have used Bartimeus after the biblical Bartimaeus, a blind beggar cured by Jesus, as he was blind in one eye.
He wrote two anthologies which are available as free ebooks in the online store
AOS Naval Fiction
Series: n/a
Naval Occasions and Some Traits of the Sailor-Man : 25 short stories
A Tall Ship: On Other Naval Occasions : 10 short stories