Richard Martin Woodman LVO (1944-2024) was born and educated in London and went to sea in cargo-liners aged 16 in 1960. He became a watch-keeping officer in 1964 and in 1967 specialised in maintaining aids to navigation in specialist ships, being promoted captain in 1980. Having spent eleven years in command at sea and a further six in operational management ashore, he retired briefly in 1998. However, having sailed the Atlantic and in European waters, he is now a Board Member of Trinity House, the authority responsible for navigational safety round the coast.
He began writing at sea and has had work published in a variety of publications. He is a correspondent for Lloyd's List, the shipping news-paper, and has written fifty books, a mixture of fiction and maritime history, winning several prizes for his work. He won the Desmond Wettern Maritime Media Award in 2001 for his journalism, the Society of Nautical Research's Anderson Medal in 2005 for three major studies of convoy operations in the Second World War and the Marine Society's Thomas Gray Medal n 2010 for his five-volume history of the British Merchant Navy.
His sea-stories cover several periods, ranging from the 17th to the 20th Centuries, and ranging from home waters to the Pacific. Well reviewed, Richard Woodman's work makes full use of his understanding of the sea, ships and the men and women to be found in this distinct environment. He wrote three naval fiction series.
The first series about Nathaniel Drinkwater starts at the time of the American War of Independence. The hero has a somewhat less meteoric rise through the ranks and serves in different types of vessels. We therefore get a new view of the navy.
The second about Kit Faulkner is set during the English Civil War and the Restoration. The third, the Sword of State trilogy, is about George Monck, the famous general of the sea during the Anglo/Dutch wars.
He also wrote the William Kite series, about a Privateer.
Age of Sail: Fiction
AOS Naval Fiction |
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| Series: Nathaniel Drinkwater | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| 1779 | Joins Navy as Midshipman aboard frigate Cyclops | |
| 1780-1781 | An Eye of the Fleet | Cyclops takes part in Moonlight Battle of Cape Trafalgar during relief of Gibraltar. Drinkwater is briefly prizemaster before the frigate goes to the Carolinas After further missions he is made acting lieutenant. |
| 1785- 1791 |
Serves as second mate on a Trinity House buoy yacht | |
| 1788 | The Steeple Rock |
Now first mate of the Argus, Drinkwater must discover what cut a ship's cables (short story) |
| 1792- 1797 |
A Kings Cutter | His commission as acting lieutenant is restored and he is first officer of the cutter Kestrel which undertakes clandestine missions in the English Channel and North Sea. Drinkwater commands Kestrel against the Dutch at the Battle of Camperdown and is promoted to Lieutenant. |
| 1798- 1800 |
A Brig of War | First Lieutenant on the Brig Hellebore .After being wrecked on a reef in the Red Sea the crew take a French Frigate Antigone which is unarmed whilst it is repaired. |
| 1800- 1801 |
The Bomb Vessel | Appointed Lieutenant in command of Bomb Tender Virago. He serves under Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen and is promoted to Commander |
| 1801 | The Night Attack | Cdr. Drinkwater of HMS Wolf is badly wounded during Nelson's attack on Boulogne (short story) |
| 1801- 1802 |
Drinkwater returns home and slowly recovers during the Peace of Amiens. With war declared again he sought re-employment | |
| 1803 | The Corvette aka Arctic Treachery |
Still ranking as Commander he serves as a Jobbing Post Captain on the Corvette Melusine protecting the Arctic whaling fleet |
| 1804- 1806 |
"1805" aka Decision at Trafalgar |
Made Post as Captain of Antigone. The ship takes part in the defence of the English Channel and its approaches in the lead up to Trafalgar. Promoted to command a "74" Drinkwater is captured en route and is on the French flagship during the battle. |
| 1807 | Baltic Mission | Once again in command of Antigone Drinkwater serves in the Baltic & is instrumental in finding the details of the secret treaty between the Tsar & Napoleon |
| 1807- 1808 |
In Distant Waters | Now commanding Patrician, Drinkwater is sent to the Pacific to combat the Russians and defeats their line of battle ship |
| 1808- 1809 |
A Private Revenge | After surviving a typhoon Patrician arrives in Hong Kong. After loosing 2 ships of a convoy to Sea Dyak pirates they try and recover them. |
| 1809- 1810 |
Under False Colours | Drinkwater is sent on a mission, disguised as a merchant ships master to Hamburg to help break the alliance between Russia and France |
| 1811- 1813 |
The Flying Squadron | When war breaks out with America, Drinkwater, back in command of Patrician, leads a Flying Squadron to combat the threat of raiders |
| 1813- 1814 |
Beneath the Aurora | As head of the navy's secret department, Drinkwater takes command of the frigate Andromeda and heads for Norway to stop the supply of arms to Americans seeking a Canadian rebellion. |
| 1814 | The Shadow of the Eagle | With the war over Drinkwater takes Andromeda to the Azores to defeat a plot to free Bonaparte |
| 1843 | Ebb Tide | As a newly appointed Elder Brother of Trinity House, Sir Nathaniel goes on his final voyage |
| Omnibus editions | ||
| The First Nathaniel Drinkwater Omnibus | An Eye of the Fleet, A King's Cutter, A Brig of War | |
| The Second Nathaniel Drinkwater Omnibus | The Bomb Vessel, The Corvette, 1805 | |
| Blaze of Glory: The Third Nathaniel Drinkwater Omnibus | Baltic Mission, In Distant Waters, A Private Revenge | |
| Death or Damnation: The Fourth Nathaniel Drinkwater Omnibus | Under False Colours, The Flying Squadron, Beneath the Aurora | |
| Distant Gunfire: The Fifth Nathaniel Drinkwater Omnibus | The Shadow of the Eagle, Ebb Tide, The Steeple Rock (Short), The Night Attack (Short) | |
| Series: Kit Faulkner | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| 1618 | A Ship for the King | Kit Faulkner must chose which side he will fight for in the Civil War |
| 1649 | For King or Commonwealth | Kit Faulkner has been living in exile with the rump of the Royal Navy |
| 1659 | The King's Chameleon | Kit's son Henry's actions may threaten everything that he holds dear... |
| Series: Sword of State Trilogy | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| 1644 | Sword of State: The Forging | Word of Monck's prowess has reached Parliament (not nautical) |
| 1652 | Sword of State: The Tempering | Will the great general find his sea legs and overcome his greatest challenge yet? |
| 1659 | Sword of State: The Wielding | When the Monarchy is restored, there is never a quiet moment for Monck |
| Omnibus edition | ||
| Sword of State | The Remarkable Story of George Monck | |
AOS Privateer Fiction |
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| Series: William Kite |
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| Year | Book | Comment |
| The Guineaman | William Kite's first voyage to sea in a Liverpool slave ship at the beginning of the Seven Years' War | |
| The Privateersman | Kite returns to sea, this time with his young son | |
| The East Indiaman | Follows Kite from London to the placid waters of the Indian Ocean | |
AOS Other Nautical Fiction
| Series: James Dunbar | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| Waterfront | In Puerto San Martin James Dunbar seeks to rescue a waterfront prostitute but he is up against the ship's captain | |
| Under Sail | Dunbar secures a berth on a ship bound for Australia, destined for four years of danger | |
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| Wager | Two tea clippers race from Shanghai to London and marrying one Captain's daughter is the prize | |
| 1601 | The Disastrous Voyage of the Santa Margarita | Based on the true story of a Galleon wrecked on the Marianas Islands, off the Philippines |
| Beyond Madagascar: A Bold & Consequential Voyage | Based on the true story of the failed colonisation of the island of Madagascar | |
| A River in Borneo | A Tale of the East Indies | |
Non-Fiction
AOS Naval Non-Fiction
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| The Sea Warriors | Fighting Captains and Frigate Warfare in the Age of Nelson | |
| The Victory of Seapower | Winning the Napoleonic War 1806-1814 | |
AOS Other Non-Fiction
| Series: A History of the British Merchant Navy (Books 4-5 are Modern Era) | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| Neptune's Trident | Spices and Slaves 1500-1507 | |
| Britannia's Realm | In Support of the State 1763-1816 | |
| Masters Under God | Makers of Empire 1816-1884 | |
| More Days, More Dollars | The Universal Bucket Chain 1885-1920 | |
| Fiddler's Green | The Great Squandering 1921-2010 | |
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| A Low Set of Blackguards | The East India Company and its Maritime Service 1600-1834 Vol.1 | |
| Keepers of the Sea | History of the Yachts and Tenders of Trinity House | |
| The History of the Ship | The Comprehensive Story of Seafaring from the Earliest Times to the Present Day | |
| The Story of Sail | From the earliest known craft of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to the final surviving sailing ships of the 20th century | |
| A Brief History of Mutiny | Furious, Savage and Bloody - 400 Years of Rebellion | |
| The Merchant Navy | The entire colourful history looks in detail at the day-to-day existences of the seamen. | |
| Light Upon the Waters | The History of Trinity House 1514-2014 | |
Modern Era: Fiction
Modern Era Naval Fiction
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| The Darkening Sea | Three generations serve from Jutland to the Falklands | |
| The Accident | Active is sent to investigate the wreck of the Wallenstein | |
| Dead Man Talking | The German navy has built a super-U-cruiser for commerce raiding | |
Modern Era Other Nautical Fiction
| Series: Tales of the Sea (Short Stories) | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| Cold Truth | An advertisement sets Edward Adams on a strange voyage to the Arctic | |
| The Judgement of his Peers | What could explain Bastable’s perfidious conduct | |
| An Absence of Imagination | A Tale of the China coast | |
| 1966 | Magnetic Anomaly | Explores the courage and contrary natures of men, set against an ocean rescue. |
| Unintended Consequences | A sudden and appalling event shatters the new life of Capt. Sanford | |
| The Petrel's Cry | an anthology of five short stories | |
| Omnibus editions | ||
| Time and Tide | Cold Truth, The Judgement of his Peers, An Absence of Imagination | |
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| Blue Funnel: Voyage East aka The Antigone |
Life aboard a British vessel in the last great days of the Merchant Navy before containers | |
| Endangered Species | Both Captain John Mackinnon and his ship are embarking on their last voyage | |
| Act of Terror | As the cruise liner Adventurer sails its passengers are in great danger. | |
| Captain of the Caryatid | Ambitious Harbour Master, James St John Stanier arrives at Porth Ardur | |
| The Cruise of the Commissioner | Captain James St John Stanier has been promoted to Commissioner of Celtic Lighthouses | |
| Omnibus editions | ||
| The Captain and Commissioner | Captain of the Caryatid, The Cruise of the Commissioner | |
Non-Fiction
Modern Era Naval Non-Fiction
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| Battle of the River Plate: A Grand Delusion | The first major naval confrontation of the Second World War | |
| Arctic Convoys: 1941-1945 | For the last four gruelling years of the war, the Western Allies ran the gauntlet of the icy Barents Sea | |
| Malta Convoys: 1940-1943 | The island of Malta was under siege and its strategic importance was obvious to both sides | |
Modern Era Other Non-Fiction
| Series: n/a | ||
| Year | Book | Comment |
| The Real Cruel Sea | The Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1943 | |