This is the story of the second ship to bear the name HMS Cossack.

Originally ordered by Russia for the Black Sea Fleet in December 1852 at a cost of 290,000 silver roubles, the ship was sold to the Hamburg trading house of Henry Mersk & Co. when relations between Britain and Russia deteriorated, as Russia feared possible confiscation.

The original contract price for the vessel, then named Witjas (Cossack), was £46,198, including £16,750 for machinery. The Admiralty subsequently paid the contractors £9,591 to complete the contract (of which £4,187 was for machinery), plus £751 for tonnage exceeding the specification and £2,206 for modifications for His Majesty’s service. The ship remained in service until 1875.

Ships Company

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Remarks: Punished on 5 April 1869 with the birch. Cause unknown.

Rank: Midshipman

Remarks: 2300. 15 April 1870 jumped overboard and when brought back on board was found to be drunk and so violent as to be placed under restraint. Court of Enquiry held at 1100 the next day and he was discharged to NYMPH at noon for passage to FORTE.

Rank: Private RMSM

Remarks: Private RMSM 1st Light infantry. Died from disease of the heart 6.45 pm 3 August 1870 and buried at sea 4 August 1870.

Remarks: Punished with 24 cuts of the birch at 0500 29 January 1870.

Rank: Boy

Remarks: Punished with 24 cuts of the birch - 31 August 1869. Cause unknown.

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Fell from under the maintop at 1730 on 27 June 1870 whilst the ship was at anchor off Zanzibar. Died at 1800. Was buried the next day at Chappancy.

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Died of heart disease 19 April 1871 at 2335. Ship at sea off Rangoon in the Bay of Bengal. Taken ashore for burial at Port Mergui on 20 April 1871.

Remarks: 13.11.1872 AB, born at Westminster, on the 5th May, 1848; 5’ 7", brown hair, hazel eyes. Sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour on 16 August 1870 whilst the ship was in the Navy dock at Coopers Island, Mauritius. The log spells the name as “Roddan”.

Rank: Captain
When Allotted: 19 May 1863

Remarks: Captain, 19 May 1863.

Hidden Gems

The Island of Kotka was attacked in 1855, but the garrison had already departed: barracks, stores and magazines etc were destroyed and the squadron left, leaving COSSACK in charge of the Island.

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1806-1816

This is the account of the first vessel named HMS Cossack, a title that would be passed on to five later ships and commemorated by the Royal Navy in the Cossack Building at HMS Raleigh.

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1854-1875

The second Cossack was originally ordered by Russia for the Black Sea Fleet in December 1852 at a cost of 290,000 silver roubles. However, when relations between Britain and Russia deteriorated, Russia sold the vessels to the Hamburg trading firm Henry Mersk & Co.

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1886-1905

This account covers the third vessel named HMS Cossack. Launched on 3 June 1886 and in service until 1905, she spent the majority of her career in the Far East, calling at India, Aden, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and other ports.

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1907-1919

The fourth HMS Cossack received the first Battle Honour for participating in operations along the Belgian coast from 17 October to 8 November 1914. This section contains copies of the original construction contract and detailed plans showing her launch, deck arrangements, and machinery.

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1938-1941

Credited with battle honours including Baltic 1855, Witu 1890, Dover Patrol 1914–1919, Narvik 1940, Norway 1940, Atlantic 1940–1941, the Bismarck Action 1941, and the Malta Convoys 1941, the HMS Cossack in service from 1938 to 1941 was a formidable presence.

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1944-1960

During Warship Week in February 1942, the town of Esher raised £1,192,211, contributing to the construction of the warship HMS Cossack. The funds were collected by the public depositing money into a rubber-type float in a pool. Remarkably, the surplus was enough to fund a submarine as well. The story continues.

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