Dudley Bernard Egerton Pope was a British author, best known for his Lord Ramage series of historical fiction novels. Born on December 25, 1925, in Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom, Pope's life took a dramatic turn when he was just 16. He joined the Merchant Navy as a cadet, and the following year, his ship was hit by a torpedo. Pope and a few other survivors spent two weeks in a lifeboat, an experience that left him with a missing joint on one of his fingers due to gangrene.
After his harrowing experience at sea, Pope began working for a Kentish newspaper, and later, in 1944, he became the naval and defense correspondent for The Evening News in London. It was during this time that Pope developed an interest in reading naval history and attempting to write his own naval stories. His first book, "Flag 4," was published in 1954, followed by several other historical accounts. Pope's writing career took a significant turn when C.S. Forester, the creator of the famed Horatio Hornblower novels, encouraged him to add fiction to his repertoire.
In 1965, Pope published "Ramage," the first of what would become an 18-novel series. Pope's works were heavily influenced by his personal experiences and his deep interest in naval history, making him one of the most successful authors in the nautical fiction genre. Pope and his wife, Kay, shared a love for boats and lived on various vessels from 1953 onwards, including the William Fife 8-meter named Concerto, a 42-foot ketch named Tokay, a 53-foot cutter named Golden Dragon, and a 54-foot wooden yacht named Ramage. Pope passed away on April 25, 1997, in Marigot, St. Martin.