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.

15 October 1869

Moored. Wind SE  / SSE / SE. Noon temperature 82 arometer rising to 30.04 inches.

AM. Launch away watering. Quarters and prayers. Second company of small arms men at drill. Watering ship. Noon. Gig away sounding  with Lt Taylor.

Boys away in pinnace.

1715 Quarters.

16 October 1869

Moored. Wind Se force 1 to 2 Barometer rising to 30.12 inches..

AM. Employed  cleaning ship. Launch away watering.

1715 Mustered by Divisions.

17 October 1869

Moored. Wind E by E / SE / South force 1  to 2.

0900 A French schooner arrived. Mustered by Divisions and performed Divine Service.

PM. Gave special leave. Mustered at Quarters.

18 October 1869

Moored. Wind Calm.

0800 Crossed Royal yards and loosed sails. Mustered at Quarters.

1000 Furled sails. Prayers. Manned and armed boats.

1100. Unarmed boats.

PM. Gave 48 hour leave to Port Watch. Sent seining party away. Quarters.

19 October 1869

Moored. Wind SE force 1 to 3 increasing to 3 with barometer rising to 30.11 inches.

0800 fired a gun to set clock on shore.

0940 Mustered at Quarters. Employed painting rifle covers.

1500. Seining party returned. Scrubbed and washed clothes.

20 October 1869

Moored. Wind SE force 1 to 2. Broken cloud becoming overcast with barometer dropping to 30.09 inches.

0900 Exercised at General Quarters. Carpenters scraping down gun carriages. Sailmakers making sail covers for the launch.

PM Cutlass men of watch at drill. Boys at seamanship.

1715. Mustered at Quarters.

21 October 1869

Moored. Wind SW 0 to 1.Barometer dropping to 30.00 inches.

AM launch away watering. Mustered at Quarters Prayers. Issued soap and tobacco. Sailmakers making covers for launch sails.

PM. Making and mending clothes. Served out slops to Ship’s Company. Scrubbed and washed clothes..

22 October 1869

Moored. Wind Calm. Barometer dropping to 29.99 inches before rising to 30.05..

0800 Crossed Royal yard and loosed sails.

0900 Mustered at Quarters.

1115 Furled sails. Up screw. Carpenters scraping gun carriages.

PM. Pinnace and dinghy away placing buoys . Numbers 3 and 4 of gun crews firing at targets with brass gun.

1700 Mustered at Quarters. Inspected clean hammocks.

23 October 1869

Moored. Wind SE by E force 1 to 3.

0710 Loosed sails. Employed cleaning hammocks and ship throughout.

1400 French mail steamer arrived. Mustered at Quarters.

1900 French mail steamer sailed.

24 October 1869

Moored. Wind SE force 1 to 2.Temperature at noon 81F.

AM. Mustered by the Open List. Performed divine service.

PM. Gave special leave to both watches.

1810 Mustered at Quarters. Rove anchor gear. Up preventer backstays.

25 October 1869

Brachois Mache. Wind SE force 1 increasing to 3. Barometer rising from 30.04 to 30.09 inches.

AM. Sent launch away.

1000. Quarters and prayers. Preparing for sea.

1100. Weighed starboard anchor. Shortened in cable to 3 shackles.

PM Lit fire in one boiler.

1420 Weighed and proceeded out of harbour under steam with pilot. Set headsail.

1600. Course SW by W. Quarters. Set fore and aft sails, foresail and Fore top sail.

1930 Course SW.

2200 sounded in 33 fathoms – fine sand.

26 October 1869

Latitude 5.37S (Dead reckoning) Longitude 53.53E (Dead reckoning) Course south westerly. Wind SE by S / NW by W / WNW/ SE. Force2/3 increasing 3 to 4 before dying to 2.

0200. Sounded in 60 fathoms (coral bottom) 0220. Set main and Mizzen topsails and mainsail.

0130. Stopped steaming.. Banked fires. Sounded in 50 fathoms (coral bottom).

0410. Down forward jib. Set Top gallant sail. In Spanker. Sounded in 70 fathoms.

0900 Mustered at Quarters and rad prayers.

1040. Up Main sail . In Trysails. 100 …

Latitude 5.37S (Dead reckoning) Longitude 53.53E (Dead reckoning) Course south westerly. Wind SE by S / NW by W / WNW/ SE. Force2/3 increasing 3 to 4 before dying to 2.

0200. Sounded in 60 fathoms (coral bottom) 0220. Set main and Mizzen topsails and mainsail.

0130. Stopped steaming.. Banked fires. Sounded in 50 fathoms (coral bottom).

0410. Down forward jib. Set Top gallant sail. In Spanker. Sounded in 70 fathoms.

0900 Mustered at Quarters and rad prayers.

1040. Up Main sail . In Trysails. 100 wore ship. Watch employed at restoring hold.

Noon altered course to south.

1315 Trimmed. Shortened and furled sails.

1420 Proceeded under easy steam passing small tide rips.

1800 Washed clothes.

2000 course SW by S. Set foresail jib and top gallant staysail. Stopped steaming. Made sail.

2200 Altered course to SW by S ½ S.

27 October 1869

Latitude 5.46S. longitude 53.19E. course South westerly. Wind SE / SSE force2 to 4.

0200 Passing tide rips. Set Top gallant sails.

0520 In top gallant sails.

0630. In  Main trysail. Set top gallant sails.

0900 Prayers. Exercised at General and Fire Quarters. Employed making sennet. Boys at seamanship.

1340 Set port fore top stud sails.

1430 Bent and set Main top staysails. Cutlass men of watch at drill.

1600 Set royals an forward jib..

1640 Observed land on the starboard bow. Quarters. In first…

Latitude 5.46S. longitude 53.19E. course South westerly. Wind SE / SSE force2 to 4.

0200 Passing tide rips. Set Top gallant sails.

0520 In top gallant sails.

0630. In  Main trysail. Set top gallant sails.

0900 Prayers. Exercised at General and Fire Quarters. Employed making sennet. Boys at seamanship.

1340 Set port fore top stud sails.

1430 Bent and set Main top staysails. Cutlass men of watch at drill.

1600 Set royals an forward jib..

1640 Observed land on the starboard bow. Quarters. In first reef of Topsail and stud sails.

1715 In stud sails and staysail . Shortened and furled sails.

1850Proceeded.2200 made sail. Stopped steaming.

28 October 1869

Latitude 7.45S. Longitude 52.5E. course SW / W by S/ West. Wind southerly to SSE force 2 to 4. Barometer rising to 30.11 before dropping to 30.02 inches at midnight.

0245. Altered course to W by S and trimmed..

0600 Reset sail.

0915 quarters and prayers. Set main topmast staysail. In Spanker and Main trysail.

PM Employed making and mending clothes. Carpenters repairing lower deck lockers and making gratings..

1800 Passing through tide rip. Scrubbed and washed clothes.

29 October 1869

Latitude 7.57S. Longitude 48.55E. Course West. Wind SSE / S by E force 2 to 3. Maximum speed through the water 6 knots.

0210 latitude by Mir altitude Aldebaran. 7.55 S Aldebaran is an orange giant star located about 65 light years away. It is the brightest star in the zodiac constellation of Taurus. It varies slowly in brightness

0900 Mustered at Quarters and prayers. Broadside guns crews at drill. Watch employed making sennet. Sailmakers making Quarterdeck awning.

PM. Midshipmen at rifle drill…

Latitude 7.57S. Longitude 48.55E. Course West. Wind SSE / S by E force 2 to 3. Maximum speed through the water 6 knots.

0210 latitude by Mir altitude Aldebaran. 7.55 S Aldebaran is an orange giant star located about 65 light years away. It is the brightest star in the zodiac constellation of Taurus. It varies slowly in brightness

0900 Mustered at Quarters and prayers. Broadside guns crews at drill. Watch employed making sennet. Sailmakers making Quarterdeck awning.

PM. Midshipmen at rifle drill. Trained men and Seamen under instruction. Boys at seamanship.

1645Mustered at Quarters. Trimmed.

2315 latitude by Achernar 8.14S Sometimes spelled Achenar, is the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus and the tenth-brightest star in the night sky.

30 October 1869

Latitude 8.30 S. Longitude 46.21E. Course Westerly Wind southerly force 3 to 4.

0215 latitude by Aldebaran 8.18 S.

0750. Altered course to W by S. Employed cleaning ship throughout.

1330. Course SW by W

1410. Braced forward course SW ½ S. Employed cleaning ship.

1640 Mustered at Quarters

01 November 1869

Approaching Johanna. (Modern name Nzwani) Course south- easterly. Wind easterly force 2 to 3.

0020 Shortened sail to topsails.

0130 Observed land ahead.

0245 wore ship.

0600 Wore ship and made plain sail save Spanker.

0810. In royals and forward jib.. In top gallant sails and Spanker.

0915. Shortened all sail and came to with sandy bottom in 8 ½ fathoms. Veered to 4 shackles. Anchor bearing Beacon (White Stone ) bearing S75E; Flag staff at fort bearing N78E;  NE extreme N87E. Mustered at Quart…

Approaching Johanna. (Modern name Nzwani) Course south- easterly. Wind easterly force 2 to 3.

0020 Shortened sail to topsails.

0130 Observed land ahead.

0245 wore ship.

0600 Wore ship and made plain sail save Spanker.

0810. In royals and forward jib.. In top gallant sails and Spanker.

0915. Shortened all sail and came to with sandy bottom in 8 ½ fathoms. Veered to 4 shackles. Anchor bearing Beacon (White Stone ) bearing S75E; Flag staff at fort bearing N78E;  NE extreme N87E. Mustered at Quarters and furled sails.

PM At single anchor off Johanna. Trained men and boys at gun drill. Sailmakers making Quarterdeck awning. Blacksmith making gear for davits. Scrubbed hammocks and washed clothes.

02 November 1869

At single anchor. Wind SSW with light airs.

0450 Sentry on duty on top gallant gave alarm for man overboard. Sent cutter in direction of man. Cutter returned. Found Oswald Edge missing.

0900 Mustered at Quarters. Prayers. Gun crews of watch at gun drill.

PM Trained men at gun drill Boys at seamanship.. employed at making mats..

1500 Oswald Edge Boy First Class was brought onboard.

1715. Divisions. Inspected clean hammocks.

03 November 1869

0800 Loosed sails.

0900 Prayers. Exercised at General Quarters firing shot and shell at a target.. Carpenters making gratings. Boys away drilling in second cutter.

1330 Furled sails. Trained men and seaman gunners at drill. Boys away in cutter. Employed making mats. Mustered at Quarters. Rove anchor gear.

04 November 1869

Preparing to sail around the island to Pornony. Wind NNW / N by E force 0 to 2.

0820 Lit fires under starboard boiler.

0920 Mustered at Quarters. Prayers.

1015 Weighed and proceeded for Pornony. Made all plain sail.

1047. Stopped steaming. Sailmakers repairing sick bay screen. Observed dhow on port bow.

1245. Squared yards commenced steaming

1310 Saddle at NE Point in one and SW Point S48E

1335 Cutter returned, Stopped. Proceeded. Shaped course to SW. Employed making and mending clothes.

1410 co…

Preparing to sail around the island to Pornony. Wind NNW / N by E force 0 to 2.

0820 Lit fires under starboard boiler.

0920 Mustered at Quarters. Prayers.

1015 Weighed and proceeded for Pornony. Made all plain sail.

1047. Stopped steaming. Sailmakers repairing sick bay screen. Observed dhow on port bow.

1245. Squared yards commenced steaming

1310 Saddle at NE Point in one and SW Point S48E

1335 Cutter returned, Stopped. Proceeded. Shaped course to SW. Employed making and mending clothes.

1410 course SE by ½ E and trimmed. Stopped. Set Mainsail .

1540 E by S ½ S. 1645 Went ahead. Mustered at quarters. Shortened and furled sails.

1615 Came to with (Sandy bottom) in 9 ¼ fathoms. Veered to 56 fathoms – anchor bearings Sunley’s chimney NE by E,SW Point S32E, Outer Beacon N6W.

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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