Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1874, Sir David William Bone was raised in a prominent family; his father was a newspaper publisher, and his brothers included journalist James Bone and artist Muirhead Bone. David Bone began his maritime career at the age of fifteen as an apprentice on the City of Florence, an old-time square-rigger. Over the following decades, he gained extensive seafaring experience, serving on windjammers in Australia, working with the Anchor Line, and operating a troop ship during the Boer War.\n\nBone successfully translated his deep knowledge of the sea into a literary career, becoming a notable author of nautical fiction and memoirs. His most famous work, The Brassbounder, depicts the life of a young apprentice on a British merchant ship and is widely regarded as a classic of the square-sail era. The book was highly praised, earning a recommendation in Arnold Bennett's literary guide Literary Taste. Bone often collaborated with his brother, Muirhead Bone, who illustrated several of his books, including Merchantmen-at-Arms.\n\nDuring his later career, Bone commanded several vessels, including the SS Tuscania on its maiden voyage from New York to Glasgow. He also documented his experiences during World War II, including the Allied invasion of Sicily, in his book Merchantman Rearmed. In recognition of his long service to the Merchant Navy and his literary contributions, Bone received the Coronation Medal in 1937, was appointed a CBE in 1943, and was knighted in 1946.
