The Ramage Books

NICHOLAS RAMAGE
Dudley Pope

Another Ship. Image by Sue Law Introduction: Another pretty good series, though Pope did get a bit formulaic towards the end. As in all these series the hero has a cross to bear, and Ramage's is his aristocratic, naval background complicated by his father's disgrace and dishonourable discharge. Unlike some other series, we never see Ramage as a midshipman and he never rises above Captain.

Many of the Ramage books were based on incidents from the Naval Chronicle. For example "Ramage's Diamond" is based on the blockade of Martinique after the breakdown of the Peace of Amiens. The actual events are described in the book "His Majesty's Sloop-of-War Diamond Rock" by Vivian Stuart and George T Eggleston.

As well as novels, Pope wrote factual histories sometimes based on the research he did for his novels:
"England Expects" - about the Battle of Trafalgar
"The Black Ship" - about the Mutiny on the Hermione
"The Great Gamble" - about Nelson's attack on the Danish fleet in 1801
"The Devil Himself: The Mutiny of 1800" - not as well known as Spithead and the Nore in 1797.
"At Twelve Mr Byng Was Shot" - delving further back into the 18th Century.

His other area was the naval battles of WWII and WWI. "73 North" is about the Battle of the Barents Sea, where the Germans attempted to cut the convoy route to Russia. "Battle of the River Plate" is about the tracking down and trapping of the German commerce raider Admiral Graf Spee.

In "Governor Ramage RN" Ramage meets a West Indian planter and ship owner, Ned Yorke, and this led to another series about Ned's antecedents and descendants including "Buccaneer", "Admiral", "Galleon" and "Convoy". Pope, suffering from the effects of his war wounds, published his last "Ramage" novel in 1989 and died in 1997. The novels are currently being reprinted by "House of Stratus".

Title	Pub	Set	Comment
Ramage	1965	1796	Rank: Lieutenant Ship: Sibella (28 frigate Capt Dec), Kathleen (10 cutter) Loc: Med, Italy (Map of Tyrrhenian Sea) 3rd Lieutenant Ramage wakes to find himself in command of the 28 gun frigate Sybilla. A 3rd lieutenant's dream? Not when the ship is trapped and being battered by a French 74. Ramage pulls the survivors together and escapes, leaving the injured to surrender the ship. Now he must decide whether to carry out the Captain's secret orders or not...
Ramage and the Drumbeat [US Drumbeat]	1968	1797	Rank: Master and Commander Ship: Kathleen (10 cutter) Loc: Bastia, Gibralter, St Vincent Having survived the kerfuffle caused by his impudence in carrying out his late captain's orders, Lieutenant Lord Ramage receives orders to carry the consequence, the Marchesa di Volterra, to Gibralta in his tiny command Kathleen. There she'll take ship for England and Ramage will return to the Mediterranean. But the Mediterranean under Nelson is an exiting place to be, especially when the French and Spanish fleets are out.
Ramage and the Freebooters [US The Triton Brig]	1969	1797	Rank: Master and Commander Ship: Triton (10 brig) Loc: Spithead - Caribbean Mutiny! The commanders of the far flung fleets must be informed before rumour spreads the trouble far and wide. Ramage is ordered to take command of the Triton brig and carry the news. But the Triton's crew have joined the mutiny, so how can Ramage set sail?
Governor Ramage RN	1973		Rank: Master and Commander Ship: Triton (10 brig) Loc: Caribbean (Map of the West Indies) Assigned to the squadron of the vindictive Admiral Goddard, Ramage finds his chances of glory proscribed by assignments to convoy duty. One little mistake and Goddard will pounce. But when the convoy is hit by a hurricane and wrecked, Ramage has to adapt to life, and command, on land.
Ramage's Prize	1974	1798	Rank: Lieutenant Ship: None Loc: Caribbean - Europe (Map of the North Atlantic) Rescued after his shipwreck, Ramage is politely asked to investigate the reason behind the sudden increase in the loss of mail packet ships during the Atlantic crossing. Why is everyone being so polite rather than just ordering him to do it? Based on true events, this story also introduces Ned Yorke of the Yorke dynasty.
Ramage and the Guillotine	1975	1801	Rank: Lieutenant Ship: None Loc: France Stuck in England without a ship, Ramage is sent on a spying mission to France to investigate Bonaparte's invasion preparations.
Ramage's Diamond	1976	1802	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Juno (32 frigate) Loc: Caribbean, Martinique (Map of SW coast of Martinique) In command of his first post-ship, Ramage is ordered to the Caribbean where he is ordered to blockade Fort Royal, Martinique. The easiest place to do this would be from Diamond Rock. But the island rises sheer from the depths of the sea on all sides, so how can the island be manned? Based on a real incident as described in the book "His Majesty's Sloop-of-War Diamond Rock" by Vivian Stuart and George T Eggleston.
Ramage's Mutiny	1977	Sept 1799	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Caribbean (Map of the West Indies) The crew of the Jocasta has mutinied, murdered most of their officers and surrendered the ship to the Spanish. Ramage is assigned the task of cutting her out and bringing the mutineers to justice. Based on the story of the Hermione (see Dudley Pope's "The Black Ship").
Ramage and the Rebels	1978	1800	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Caribbean (Map of the West Indies) Ramage is sent to hunt enemy privateersman. Coming across the aftermath of one such attack, he finds the packet's crew and passengers murdered, the women having been brutally raped. Setting out to hunt down this madman, Ramage accidentally ends up taking over Curaçao. Based on a true incident described in James' "Naval History" (Sept 1800).
The Ramage Touch	1979	1800	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Mediterranean (Map of Tyrrhenian Sea and surrounds) With the Royal Navy stretched to its limits, Ramage is sent to disrupt French coastal shipping in a Mediterranean stripped almost bare of British ships. So when the French fleet suddenly become active, it's up to Ramage to stop them.
Ramage's Signal	1980		Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Mediterranean (Map of Mediterranean and of the French coast) Still cruising the Mediterranean, Ramage sets out to have fun with the French coastal telegraph system.
Ramage and the Renegades	1981	1802-1803	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Location: Sth Atlantic, nr Brazil (Map of "Ilha da Trinidade" and Atlantic/Brazil) With the Treaty of Amiens signed, Ramage can only look forward to being put on half-pay. The Navy has other plans for him, however, and send him to survey a small speck in the Atlantic, off the coast of Brazil. He finds the islands being used by a group of renegade French privateers, men who do not recognise the Peace treaty.
Ramage's Devil	1982	1803	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Murex (brig), Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: France, Channel, Sth America (Maps of Brest roads, NE coast of Sth America, coast of French Guiana, and Isles du Salut) Ramage grasps the opportunity offered by the Peace of Amiens to marry Sarah and take a honeymoon in France (taking note of French naval activity in passing). Unbeknownst to Ramage, war has been declared again. His host, the Count of Rennes, is arrested and transported to Devil's Island. Ramage finds himself on the run with Sarah. To escape from France, Ramage retakes a captured brig, the Murex. Then he's off to the coast of South America to rescue the Count and the other political detainees.
Ramage's Trial	1984		Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Atlantic, Plymouth Having rescued the Count of Rennes from Devil's Island, Ramage reports to the Admiral at Barbados. Here he learns that the Murex has gone missing with Sarah on board. To his intense frustration he is condemned to a slow passage home, commanding a convoy escort. Mid-Atlantic the convoy is approached by another British frigate which fires a broadside at Calypso. Assuming it to have been taken by the French, Ramage boards the frigate only to find it still in British hands. Moreover the Captain calmly denies having fired a broadside. Ramage compels the frigate to accompany the convoy, but when it reaches Plymouth the Captain lodges charges against Ramage, who finds himself facing a court-martial chaired by his old enemy Admiral Goddard.
Ramage's Challenge	1985		Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Mediterranean (Map of Tyrrhenian Sea, surrounds and Port 'Ercole) Mourning the loss of Sarah, Ramage is sent back to the Mediterranean to hunt for a group of high ranking British prisoners being held hostage by Napoleon. Unfortunately the British intelligence is out of date, the prisoners have been moved. Ramage and his Calypsos find themselves playing cat and mouse with the French as they follow the trail of the hostages.
Ramage at Trafalgar	1986	1805	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Off Spain (Maps of Cadiz and surrounds) Reunited with Sarah, Ramage is looking forward to some extended leave on an estate he has inherited. However the French and Spanish fleets are planning joint operations and Nelson needs all the "eyes" he can get. Ramage is recalled and Calypso sent to scout for Nelson.
Ramage and the Saracens	1988	1806	Rank: Post Captain Ship: Calypso (32 frigate) Loc: Mediterranean (Map of Mediterranean, Capraia and Sidi Rezegh)
Ramage and the Dido	1989		Rank: Post Captain Ship: Dido (74) Loc: Caribbean (Map of Martinique, Fort de France and Pointe des Negres)

Images on this page are used by kind permission of Harper Collins.

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NICHOLAS RAMAGE Dudley Pope

NICHOLAS RAMAGE
Dudley Pope