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.

25 November 1869

Latitude 6.40S Longitude 40.12 E. course Northerly. Wind easterly changing to NE force 1 to 2. Sounded in 100 fathoms.

0110 Braced forward.. 0450 sounded in100 fathoms.

0600 Out reefs. Set Royals and forward Jib. . Aired bedding. Quarters and prayers. Marines at rifle drill. Refitting spars – Topsails and Courses .Course W by N. Up  Mainsail. Squared yards.

PM. Making and mending of clothes. Artificers making good small defects.

1515. Observed land SW ¾ W. Altered course for Latham island.. …

Latitude 6.40S Longitude 40.12 E. course Northerly. Wind easterly changing to NE force 1 to 2. Sounded in 100 fathoms.

0110 Braced forward.. 0450 sounded in100 fathoms.

0600 Out reefs. Set Royals and forward Jib. . Aired bedding. Quarters and prayers. Marines at rifle drill. Refitting spars – Topsails and Courses .Course W by N. Up  Mainsail. Squared yards.

PM. Making and mending of clothes. Artificers making good small defects.

1515. Observed land SW ¾ W. Altered course for Latham island.. Braced forward.

1800 Latham island SW ¾ S about 4 miles.

1900 Up courses. In Royals and fore jib. Wore.

1910 sounded in 60 fathoms.

1945 In  Top gallant sails. Course W by S. Lowered top sails. Squared yards course West.

2100 Passed through a strong rip tide.

26 November 1869

Moored at 1416. Course west changing to SAE by S then northerly. Wind light airs from the east changing to north force 1 to 2.

0030 Latitude by Rigek 6.42S.

0150 Sounded at 90 fathoms.

0345 Observed land to the North. Sounded in 82 fathoms (sand). Hoisted Topsails. Set foresail. Altered course to south.

0400 Braced forward and set Mainsail.

0425 commenced steaming. Furled square sails. Sounded in 45 fathoms (coral). Course SW by W. 0730. Set course west.

0845 Course NW by N.

1030 Course NNW. Sai…

Moored at 1416. Course west changing to SAE by S then northerly. Wind light airs from the east changing to north force 1 to 2.

0030 Latitude by Rigek 6.42S.

0150 Sounded at 90 fathoms.

0345 Observed land to the North. Sounded in 82 fathoms (sand). Hoisted Topsails. Set foresail. Altered course to south.

0400 Braced forward and set Mainsail.

0425 commenced steaming. Furled square sails. Sounded in 45 fathoms (coral). Course SW by W. 0730. Set course west.

0845 Course NW by N.

1030 Course NNW. Sailmakers repairing windsails.

1130 Furled headsails.

PM HMS Dryad made her number.

1415 Stopped steaming and came to with broken bottom in 10 ½ fathoms. Moored with 4 shackles on sandy bottom and 5 on broken bottom.

1545 Saluted Sultan of Zanzibar with 21 guns. Zanzibar man of war returned the salute. Mustered at Quarters. Out boom boats. Anchor bearings – English flag staff S20E / Chomby Isle S12W / North point Banry N69W.

27 November 1869

Calm airs with broken cloud increasing to force 1. Barometer 30.02 inches. Temperature at noon 81 F.

0710 Loosed sails. Employed cleaning ship throughout.

1315 Furled sails. Down Royal yards.

1740 Mustered at Quarters. Issued clan hammocks. Mended furl of sails.

28 November 1869

. Calm airs from the east. Barometer 30.04 inches. Temperature at noon 88F.

AM Mustered by Divisions and performed Divine Service.

PM. Given special leave to both watches and privilege leave to Port Watch.

1715 Mustered at Quarters.

29 November 1869

Light airs from NE force 1 to 2. Maximum temperature 88F. Barometer 30.02 inches.

0800 Loosed sails. Mustered at Quarters. Prayers. Bow and odd guns crews of watch at cutlass drill. Sailmakers altering awning curtains.

PM Political Agent visited the ship. Saluted him with 11 guns. Party at cutlass drill. Watch making matts and sennit etc.

1715 Mustered at Quarters.

30 November 1869

Wind NNW changing to East force 0 to 2.

AM. Sent mail for England to DRYAD.

0700 DRYAD left the harbour. Coal lighter came alongside.

1915 Commenced coaling ship and received 73 ½ tons of coal.

PM coaling ship.

1700 received 125 tons of coal.

01 December 1869

Wind NE with broken cloud. Temperature at 30.05 inches..

AM Employed cleaning ship throughout.

PM Carpenters making Scotsmen for guns . Sailmakers making main deck awning curtains. Scrubbed hammocks and washed clothes. Condensing

02 December 1869

Wind NE / NNW / SW force 1 to 2.

0915 Mustered at Quarters  and prayed.. Watch employed white washing after hold, making mats and boats fenders. Sailmakers repairing Main sail and making Quarterdeck awning.

PM. Prussian Consul visited the ship. Saluted him on leaving with 9 guns. Making and mending clothes.

1730 mustered at Quarters. Inspected clean hammocks. Finished condensing.

03 December 1869

Wind NNW changing to East  force 0 to 3. Maximum temperature 82F. Barometer at noon 29.98 inches.

0900 Mustered at Quarters  followed by prayers. First company of small arms men at rifle drill. Carpenters making Scotsmen for guns. Sailmakers making Quarterdeck awning.

PM Two French corvette VOLTA arrived. Party at gun drill. Watch employed making sennit.

1650 Mustered at Quarters Mended furl of sails.

04 December 1869

Wind NE force 1.Temperature at noon 84. Barometer 29.98 inches.

AM Employed cleaning ship throughout.

PM as for the Forenoon.

1715 Mustered at Quarters

05 December 1869

Wind North changing to ENE force0 to 2.

0920 Mustered  by the Open List. Performed divine Service.

PM Scrubbed and washed clothes.

06 December 1869

Wind calm force 0. Temperature 82F Barometer 30.06 inches.

0730 Loosed sails.

0940 Furled sails. Employed clearing away after hold. Receiving and storing bread.

PM Provisioning ship and unmooring and weighed. Employed storing hold and Spirit Room.

07 December 1869

Wind  calm force 0 to 2. Temperature 84F. Barometer 30.07 inches.

0600 Catted and fished starboard anchor.

0800 In boom boats.

0900 Quarters. Prayers. Sailmakers making new quarterdeck awning. 100 In dinghy and copper punt.

1345 Weighed and proceeded to Bububu

1450 Came to with broken bottom in 5 fathoms and veered to 3 shackles. Carpenters making Scotsmen. Mustered at Quarters. Ship’s Company bathed.

08 December 1869

Winds westerly Prayers. Exercised at General Quarters. Boys at Seamanship instruction. Employed pointing ropes, making sennit. Sailmakers making Quarter Deck Awning.

1300 Weighed and proceeded under steam. Cutlass men of watch at drill. Scrubbed washed clothes.

1730 Came to off Osnranrmba? With broken bottom in 15 fathoms and veered to 3 ½ shackles.

09 December 1869

At anchor. Wind ESE changing to NW force 1 to 2. Temperature at noon 84F. Barometer 30.07.

0900 Mustered at Quarters. Prayers. Marines at drill. Watch employed making mats, sennit etc. Sailmakers making Quarterdeck awning. Carpenters making Scotsmen for guns.

1200 Sent 2nd cutter to Zanzibar. Making and mending clothes.

1715 Quarters.

1755 Ship’s company bathed.

10 December 1869

Wind NNE changing to S force 1.

0900 mustered at quarters. Prayers. 2nd company of small arms men at drill firing blank cartridge. Carpenters making Scotchmen.

PM small arms men of watch firing ball cartridge. Boys at Seamanship.

1600 Up screw. Down screw

1650 Mustered at quarters. Ship’s company bathed. Second cutter returned from Zanzibar.

11 December 1869

Wind N by W changing to NE force 1 to 2. Temperature 83F. Brometer30.06 inches.

0620 Loaded sails. Cleaned ship throughout.

1120 Furled sails.

PM Second cutter away sounding. Mustered at Quarters and issued clean hammocks. Ship’s company bathed.

1715 Boats returned from surveying.

12 December 1869

At anchor. Wind NE force 3 to 4

0920 Mustered by Division and performed Divine Service.

1715 mastered at Quarters. Ship’s company bathed

13 December 1869

Wind NE force 1 to 3.

0900 Mustered at Quarters.

0935 made all plain sail. Shortened in cable. Up anchor. Set forward Topmast staysail and Spanker. Carpenters making Scotsmen. Watch employed reeving anchor gear.

PM Boys at rifle drill. Remainder employed making sennit.

1640 Commenced steaming. Mustered at Quarters. Tacked. Shortened and furled sails.

1720 Came to with broken bottom in 13 ½ fathoms and veered to 3 ½ shackles.

14 December 1869

At anchor. Wind NE by N changing to ENE. Temperature 83F. Barometer 30.05 inches.

AM Finished condensing.

0915 Mustered at Quarters. Prayers. Second company at rifle drill and firing at a target. Sailmakers altering boats awnings  Cutters away sounding..

PM Watch employed making sennit Midshipmen and boys firing at a target. Cutters returned. Mustered by division. Inspected cleaned hammocks

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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