| 1756 |
born in Falmouth, son of James Bolitho |
| 1768 |
entered the King's service as a midshipman on Manxman (80) |
| 1772 |
Midshipman Gorgon (74)
Richard Bolitho - Midshipman
Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger
|
| 1774 |
promoted Lieutenant Destiny (28); Rio and the Caribbean
Stand Into Danger
|
| 1775 - 1777 |
Lieutenant Trojan (80) during the American Revolution; later appointed prizemaster
In Gallant Company
|
| 1778 |
promoted Commander Sparrow (18); Battle of the Chesapeake
Sloop of War
|
| 1780 |
Birth of Adam, illegitimate son of Hugh Bolitho and Kerenza Pascoe |
| 1782 |
promoted Captain Phalarope (32); West Indies; Battle of Saintes
To Glory We Steer
|
| 1784 |
Captain Undine (32); India and East Indies
Command a King's Ship
|
| 1787 |
Captain Tempest (36); Great South Sea; Tahiti; suffered serious fever
Passage to Mutiny
|
| 1792 |
Captain, the Nore; recruiting
With All Despatch
|
| 1793 |
Captain Hyperion (74); Mediterranean; Bay of Biscay; West Indies
Form Line of Battle!
Enemy in Sight!
|
| 1795 |
promoted Flag Captain Euryalus (100); involved in the Great Mutiny; Mediterranean; promoted Commodore
The Flag Captain
|
| 1798 |
Battle of the Nile
Signal - Close Action!
|
| 1800 |
promoted Rear-Admiral; Baltic
The Inshore Squadron
|
| 1801 |
Biscay; prisoner of war
A Tradition of Victory
|
| 1802 |
promoted Vice-Admiral; West Indies
Success to the Brave
|
| 1803 |
Mediterranean
Colours Aloft
|
| 1805 |
Battle of Trafalgar
Honour This Day
|
| 1806-1807 |
Good Hope; second Battle of Copenhagen
The Only Victor
|
| 1808 |
Shipwrecked off Africa
Beyond the Reef
|
| 1809-1810 |
Mauritius campaign
The Darkening Sea
|
| 1812 |
promoted Admiral; second American war
For My Country's Freedom
|
| 1814 |
defense of Canada; second American war
Cross of St George
|
| 1815 |
killed in action
Sword of Honour
|
“To Glory We Steer was published in 1968, and was such a success that the publicity director of Hutchinson suggested I should map out (roughly) Richard Bolitho’s life from birth to death so it could be used on a bookmark, each bookmark to be updated on the publication of a new novel. Not an easy job, I might add, so I sat down and worked it all out, the essential parts of his career. I chose his date of birth with care because as he matures it leads him through the most interesting time in naval history, so he wouldn’t be too young or too old at any point, like the American and French revolutions and the Battle of Trafalgar.”