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
1779-79: Joins Navy as Midshipman aboard frigate Cyclops
An Eye of the Fleet : 1780-81: 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.
1785-91: Serves as second mate on a Trinity House buoy yacht
The Steeple Rock : 1788: Now first mate of the Argus, Drinkwater must discover what cut a ship's cables (short story)
A Kings Cutter : 1792-97: 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
A Brig of War : 1798-1800: 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
The Bomb Vessel : 1800-01: Appointed Lieutenant in command of Bomb Tender Virago. He serves under Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen and is promoted to Commander
The Night Attack : 1801: Cdr. Drinkwater of HMS Wolf is badly wounded during Nelson's attack on Boulogne (short story)
1801-02: Drinkwater returns home and slowly recovers during the Peace of Amiens. With war declared again he sought re-employment
The Corvette (aka Arctic Treachery) : 1803: Still ranking as Commander he serves as a Jobbing Post Captain on the Corvette Melusine protecting the Arctic whaling fleet
"1805" (aka Decision at Trafalgar) : 1804-06: 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
Baltic Mission : 1807: 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
In Distant Waters : 1807-08: Now commanding Patrician, Drinkwater is sent to the Pacific to combat the Russians and defeats their line of battle ship
A Private Revenge : 1808-09: 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
Under False Colours 1809-10: Drinkwater is sent on a mission, disguised as a merchant ships master to Hamburg to help break the alliance between Russia and France
The Flying Squadron : 1811-13: When war breaks out with America, Drinkwater, back in command of Patrician, leads a Flying Squadron to combat the threat of raiders
Beneath the Aurora : 1813-13: 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
The Shadow of the Eagle 1814: With the war over Drinkwater takes Andromeda to the Azores to defeat a plot to free Bonaparte
Ebb Tide : 1843: 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)
A Ship for the King : 1618: Kit Faulkner must chose which side he will fight for in the Civil War
For King or Commonwealth : 1649: Kit Faulkner has been living in exile with the rump of the Royal Navy
The King's Chameleon : 1659: Kit's son Henry's actions may threaten everything that he holds dear...
Sword of State: The Forging : 1644: Word of Monck's prowess has reached Parliament (not nautical)
Sword of State: The Tempering : 1652: Will the great general find his sea legs and overcome his greatest challenge yet?
Sword of State: The Wielding : 1659: 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
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
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
Wager : Two tea clippers race from Shanghai to London and marrying one Captain's daughter is the prize
The Disastrous Voyage of the Santa Margarita : 1601: 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 : 1964: During the Far Eastern war
Non-Fiction
AOS Naval Non-Fiction
Series: n/a
AOS Other Non-Fiction
Series: A History of the British Merchant Navy (Books 4-5 are Modern Era)
Series: n/a
A Low Set of Blackguards: The East India Company and its Maritime Service 1600-1834 (Vol. 1) : The Heroic Age 1600-1707
A Low Set of Blackguards: The East India Company and its Maritime Service 1600-1834 (Vol. 2) : Triumph and Decline 1708-1834
The Story of Sail : From the earliest known craft of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to the final surviving sailing ships of the 20th century
The Merchant Navy : The entire colourful history looks in detail at the day-to-day existences of the seamen
Modern Era: Fiction
Modern Era Naval Fiction
Series: n/a
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)
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
Magnetic Anomaly : 1966: 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
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
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: A History of the British Merchant Navy (Books 1-3 are AOS)
Series: n/a