Based on meticulously researched historical fact, "Brown on Resolution" marks C.S. Forester's first novel about the British Navy and his subsequent sea-faring novels

It charts the life and death of Leading Seaman, Albert Brown, beginning with the story of how his mother, Agatha, meets and spends five days with a young Lieutenant Commander (RN) and becomes pregnant with Albert. She doesn't tell the officer and keeps the man's identity a secret from her family and the world in general. Throughout his formative years, she encourages Albert to join the Navy and has high hopes that he too will be an officer. Eventually, Albert enlists as a cadet and at the beginning of WWI is assigned to the Pacific aboard a light cruiser as a gun layer. By this time, he has been promoted to Leading Seaman. When his ship is sunk and he is taken prisoner aboard a German armored cruiser, as the sole survivor he takes it upon himself to single-handedly delay the ship from carrying out repairs so that a larger British heavy cruiser can intercept and destroy the vessel. He attempts this from the inhospitable Galapagos Island of Resolution.

The novel has been the basis of two films. In 1935 a young Sir John Mills played Albert in the first adaptation. 1953 saw the version called "Single Handed" in the UK and "Sailor of the King" in the US. Starring Jeffrey Hunter.