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.

Year by Year

Discover the history of the HMS Cossack from 1854 to 1875.

You can search the ‘year’ and ‘month’ to find a specific date and also ‘click’ on the date itself to reveal any images and moments from that date.

27 July 1869

Wind SW with light airs.

0900. Mustered by Divisions. Shifted davits.

PM. painted masts. Paid monthly money to Starboard Watch and sent them on 48 hours leave. Painting masts and yards.

28 July 1869

Wind SW switching to NE before returning to SW force 1 to 2.  Painting yards.

PM as in forenoon. Paid Port watch monthly money. Painting aloft.

29 July 1869

Wind WSW force 2 increasing to 4. Employed painting masts and yards. A working party is ashore. Carpenters are about the davits..

PM. Painting aloft. Cleaning paintwork.

30 July 1869

Wind SW force 3 to 4 decreasing to 1. Painting ship. Sent shot racks on shore.

31 July 1869

Wind SW force 2/3. Painting ship. Sent working party to dockyard. Sent pinnace to dockyard where it was hauled up.

01 August 1869

Sunday) Wind SW force3/4 decreasing to 1.  Mustered by Divisions. Gave Special and Privilege leave.

02 August 1869

Wind South to SW. Force 1 to 3 reducing to 0. Temperature 84F.

0500 Sent small arms men companies on shore for drill and exercise.

0900 Shore party returned.  Painting ship continued. Working party on shore.

1530 Small arms men on shore drilling.

03 August 1869

Wind Light airs changing to force 2/3 from the NE.

0530 Small arms men companies and marines landed for drill.

0630. Drill party returned. Working party ashore at dockyard.

PM Painting ship. Landed small arms men for drill.

04 August 1869

At anchor in Trincomalee Harbour. Wind SW calm. Temperature at midday 84F.

0500. Sent small arms men and marines ashore.

0700. Small arms party and marines returned onboard. Working party ashore. Painting ship and gun carriages.

PM. Landed small arms mend for drill. Second cutter and dinghy launched. Hauled up first gig. Small arms party returned onboard

05 August 1869

Wind SW until noon and then south force 1 to 2.

0515 Sent small arms company , Midshipmen and Marines ashore for drill.

0700 Shore party returned to ship.

PM Sent sails to Dockyard. Watch employed scraping, cleaning and painting shot. Port Watch scrubbing clothes onshore. Landed small arms men who later returned.

06 August 1869

W. Force 4 to 5 increasing to 6 at midday before decreasing to 2.

0520 Landed small arms men for drill who later returned. Painting gun carriages. Working party on shore. Carpenters repairing boats..

PM Sent small arms companies on shore and they returned at 1700. Hoisted in accommodation ladder for repairing.

07 August 1869

Wind SW force 23 to 4. Maximum Temperature 86. Barometer 29,85 inches.  Scrubbed wind sails. Cleaned ship throughout.

PM Working party ashore. Gave leave to Starboard watch for 48 hours. Received second cutter from dockyard.

08 August 1869

Wind SW force 2 to 3.

0915. Mustered by Open List. Performed Divine Service.

PM. Gave general leave to Starboard Watch.

09 August 1869

Wind SW force 2 to 3 decreasing to 0.  Watch employed ashore launching and hauling up boats..

1020 Let go lifebuoy for trial – all correct.

1500. Sent launch away for 24 hour cruise.

1715 Quarters. Inspected clean hammocks.

1730. DRYAD sailed. Stored booms.

10 August 1869

Wind calm. Temperature 84F all day. Drew stores.

PM. Hoisted in powder and engineering stores. Scrubbed hammocks and washed clothes.

1720 launch returned from cruising.

11 August 1869

Wind Calm.

0515 Sent field piece crews ashore for drill. They subsequently returned onboard. Laid out hawser and swung ship. ( To check the compass against known bearings) Exercised at General Quarters firing shot and shell at mark.

PM. Sent pinnace away for 24 hour cruise. Mustered by Divisions with clean hammocks.

12 August 1869

Wind SW force 1 to 3.

0900 Mustered at Quarters. Received engineering stores. Got up slops..

PM. Issued slops to Ship’s Company. Make and mend clothes. Pinnace returned. Gave special and privilege leave to both watches. Mustered at Quarters.

13 August 1869

Wind SW force1 to 3. Sent Dockyard  party ashore. Coal lighter came alongside.

PM Coaled ship.

14 August 1869

Wind South switching to WSW force 1 to 2. Cleaned ship throughout.

1715. Mustered at Quarters.

15 August 1869

Wind calm. Temperature 84F. Mustered by Divisions. Performed Divine Service.

PM Gave special and privilege leave .

17 20 Mustered by Quarters.

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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