I decided to begin writing ‘HMS Archer’ because, as an amateur maritime historian, I wanted to investigate a period of maritime history which seems to have been largely ignored, certainly on this side of the Atlantic. If the subject of the 1812 war is...
The story of HMS Archer is set in an important but almost forgotten period in the history of Britain and the United States. It begins in 1811 when Britain was still involved in a bitter war with Napoleonic France, a war which had been going on for many years. ...
Trevor was walking around by torchlight, though the street lights of Piccadilly also spilled some light into the front rooms, making Trevor’s torch almost unnecessary. He approached from the adjacent corridor, passing through the small, elegant Cambridge Room and...
“Good evening!” said the Colonel. Cheerily. I looked up and put down my pen. “Good evening Colonel,” I replied, “how can I help?” “Oh, not so formal; never mind the Colonel,” he said, followed by, or so I thought, “Not a real rank anyhow, not the same as you, y’...
The dinner had already begun when one of the guests arrived late. He drove up to the basement garage in something of a panic, waited impatiently while the shutters trundled noisily upward, brought his car just inside and hopped out heading rapidly for the dinner,...
At half past two the engines were shut down again to allow them to cool. The hands were stood down. There was no sign of the Skipper. By three o’clock the First Lieutenant was looking really worried. He was the one who would get it in the neck if we failed to...
