Captain Richard Martin Woodman LVO (born 1944) is an English novelist and naval historian who retired in 1997 from a 37-year nautical career, mainly working for Trinity House, to write full-time.
Writing
His main work is 14 novels about the career of Nathaniel Drinkwater, and shorter series about James Dunbar and William Kite, but he also has written a range of factual books about 18th century and WW2 history. These include a trilogy of studies of convoys in the Second World War and a five volume history of the British Merchant Navy. Unlike many other modern naval historical novelists, such as C.S. Forester or Patrick O'Brian, he has served afloat. He went to sea at the age of sixteen as an indentured midshipman and has spent eleven years in command. His experience ranges from cargo-liners to ocean weather ships and specialist support vessels as well as yachts, square-riggers, and trawlers.
Woodman is a regular correspondent for the shipping newspaper Lloyd's List and continues his close association with the sea as a keen yachtsman. He also serves on the Corporate Board of Trinity House. He has won several awards including the Society for Nautical Research's Anderson Medal in 2005 and the Marine Society's Harmer Award in 1978.
Honours
Woodman was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the 2014 New Year Honours for his services to Trinity House.
Books
Nathaniel Drinkwater series
An Eye of the Fleet
A King's Cutter
A Brig of War
The Bomb Vessel
The Corvette
1805
Baltic Mission
In Distant Waters
A Private Revenge
Under False Colours
The Flying Squadron
Beneath the Aurora
The Shadow of the Eagle
Ebb Tide
William Kite trilogy
The Guineaman
The Privateersman
The East Indiaman
James Dunbar novels
Waterfront
Under Sail
Kit Faulkner novels
A Ship for the King
For King or Commonwealth
The King's Chameleon
Other fiction
The Ice Mask
Dead Man Talking
Wager
Endangered Species
The Darkening Sea
Voyage East or The Antigone
The Accident
Act of Terror
Captain of the Caryatid
The Cruise of the Commissioner
"Decision at Trafalgar"
Non-fiction
The Sea Warriors
The Victory of Seapower, 1806–1814
Keepers of the Sea: The Yachts and Tenders of Trinity House
The Lighthouses of Trinity House
A Brief History of Mutiny
View from the Sea
Arctic Convoys, 1941–1945
Malta Convoys
The Real Cruel Sea, The Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1939–1943
The History of the Ship
The Story of Sail (co-author) ...Of Daring Temper, The History of The Marine Society A History of the British Merchant Navy Neptune's Trident Britannia's Realm Masters Under God More Days, More Dollars Fiddler's Green