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.

21 August 1855

Under Captain James Horsford Cockburn in the Baltic.

21 August 1855

Under Captain James Horsford Cockburn in the Baltic.

01 January 1856

The month of January 1856

Devonport

01 January 1856

Devonport

01 April 1856

April 1856

Particular Service

01 April 1856

Particular Service

23 Apr 1856

Present at Fleet Review, at Spithead, to celebrate the end of the war (Captain Cockburn).

23 April 1856

Present at Fleet Review, at Spithead, to celebrate the end of the war (Captain Cockburn).

01 July 1856

Full month of July 1856

To North America and West Indies. Chiefly at Greytown, Nicaragua

01 July 1856

To North America and West Indies. Chiefly at Greytown, Nicaragua

15 July 1857

Paid Off.

15 July 1857

Paid off

01 September 1857

Throughout September 1857.

At Sheerness

01 September 1857

At Sheerness

01 January 1859

The whole year of 1859.

Refitted for sea at Sheerness (£12,075)

16 June 1859

Captain Richard Moorman for North America and the West Indies then to China.

16 June 1859

Captain Richard Moorman for North America and the West Indies then to China.

01 January 1860

The whole of 1860.

COSSACK was serving on the North America and West
Indies

09 January 1861

Extracts from the TIMES newspaper.

The Edgar, 91, screw, Capt. James Katon, flagship of Rear-Admiral J.E. Erskine, left Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning, and took up a berth to the eastward of the ships at Spithead. The ships now anchored at Spithead, in addition to the Edgar, comprise the Algiers, 91, screw, Capt. G.D. O’Callaghan; the Trafalgar, 91, screw, Capt. Fanshawe; the Immortalité, 51, screw, Capt. G. Hancock; the Diadem, 32, screw, Capt. G. Cockburn; the Cossack, 20, screw…

Extracts from the TIMES newspaper.

The Edgar, 91, screw, Capt. James Katon, flagship of Rear-Admiral J.E. Erskine, left Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning, and took up a berth to the eastward of the ships at Spithead. The ships now anchored at Spithead, in addition to the Edgar, comprise the Algiers, 91, screw, Capt. G.D. O’Callaghan; the Trafalgar, 91, screw, Capt. Fanshawe; the Immortalité, 51, screw, Capt. G. Hancock; the Diadem, 32, screw, Capt. G. Cockburn; the Cossack, 20, screw, Capt. R. Moorman; the Desperate, 7, screw, Commander Ross; and the Triton, 3, paddle, Lieut-Commander R. Burton; the whole representing a force of 477 guns, and 4,410-horse power, nominal..,

01 March 1861

Throughout March 1861.

Portsmouth

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.

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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