Douglas Edward Reeman, born at Thames Ditton 15 October 1924, is a British author who has written many historical fiction books on the Royal Navy, mainly set during either World War II or the Napoleonic Wars. Reeman joined the Royal Navy in 1940, 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. Douglas married Canadian Kimberley Jordan in 1985. Reeman's debut novel, A Prayer for the Ship was published in 1958. His pseudonym Alexander Kent was the name of a friend and naval officer who died during the Second World War. Reeman is most famous for his series of Napoleonic naval stories, whose central character is Richard Bolitho, and, later, his nephew, Adam. 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. [More at Wikipedia]

October 15th, 1924 in Thames Ditton  /  Died:   Jan 23rd, 2017