Douglas Reeman is a British author who has written many historical fiction books on the Royal Navy, many set during World War II or during the Napoleonic Wars. Reeman, born in 1924, joined the Royal Navy at the age of 16 and served during World War II and the Korean War. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant. In addition to being an author, Reeman has also taught the art of navigation for yachting and served as a technical advisor for films.

Reeman's debut novel, A Prayer for the Ship was published in 1958. Writing under the name Alexander Kent, Reeman is most famous for his series of Napoleonic Naval Stories, whose central character is Richard Bolitho. He also wrote a series of novels about several generations of the Blackwood family who served in the Royal Marines from the 1850s to the 1970s and a non-fiction account of his World War II experiences, D-Day: A Personal Reminiscence (1984).

Bibliography (with publication dates)

World War II novels

• A Prayer for the Ship (1958)
• Dive in the Sun (1961)
• With Blood and Iron (1964)
• HMS Saracen (1965)
• The Pride and the Anguish (1968)
• To Risks Unknown (1969)
• Rendezvous - South Atlantic (1972)
• His Majesty's U-Boat (aka Go In and Sink!) (1973)
• The Destroyers (1974)
• Winged Escort (1975)
• Surface with Daring (1976)
• Strike from the Sea (1978)
• A Ship Must Die (1979)
• Torpedo Run (1981)
• The Volunteers (1985)
• The Iron Pirate (1986)
• In Danger's Hour (1988)
• The White Guns (1989)
• Killing Ground (1992)
• Sunset (1994)
• A Dawn Like Thunder (1996)
• Battlecruiser (1997)
• For Valour (2000)
• Twelve Seconds to Live (2002)

The Blackwood Saga

• Badge of Glory (1982)
• The First to Land (1984)
• The Horizon (1993)
• Dust on the Sea (1999)
• Knife Edge (2004)

Other settings

• High Water (1959)
• Send a Gunboat (1960)
• The Hostile Shore (1962)
• The Last Raider (1963)
• Path of the Storm (1966)
• The Deep Silence (1967)
• The Greatest Enemy (1970)

Richard Bolitho novels (written under the name Alexander Kent)

• To Glory We Steer (1968)
• Form Line of Battle! (1969)
• Enemy In Sight! (1970)
• Flag Captain (1971)
• Sloop Of War (1972)
• Command a King's Ship (1973)
• Signal - Close Action! (1974)
• Richard Bolitho, Midshipman (1975)
• Passage To Mutiny (1976)
• In Gallant Company (1977)
• The Inshore Squadron (1977)
• Midshipman Bolitho and the 'Avenger' (1978)
• Stand Into Danger (1980)
• A Tradition Of Victory (1981)
• With All Despatch (1988)
• The Only Victor (1990)
• Beyond The Reef (1992)
• The Darkening Sea (1993)
• For My Country's Freedom (1995)
• Cross Of St. George (1996)
• Sword of Honour (1998)
• Second to None (1999)
• Relentless Pursuit (2001)
• Man of War (2003)
• Band of Brothers (2005)

External links

• Douglas Reeman official site

1924 births | Living people | British writers | Historical novelists

Douglas Reeman | Douglas Reeman