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.

03 January 186

Sheerness Harbour. Mustered by Divisions. Slipped port bridle and veered 2 ½ shackles.

04 January 1869

Sheerness Harbour. Weighed port anchor. Sent Port Watch to dockyard to draw sails. Bent on jib, spanker, top gallant and Royals.

05 January 1869

Sheerness Harbour. Working party to yard to draws stores. Bent on trysail

06 January 1869

Sheerness harbour. Ship inspected by Captain Hall with ship at General and Fire Quarters.

07 January 1869

Sheerness. Up steam. On mast and sail covers. 0930 slipped moorings and proceeded out of harbour 1200 Secured to moorings.

08 January 1869

Sheerness Starboard Watch drawing stores from dockyard. Received firewood. Received a diving apparatus. Preparing for sea.

09 January 1869

Sheerness.
0800 Steam up.
1100 Slipped mooring under steam with pilot. Wind force 2.
1240 passed East Oaze buoy.
1700 Came to off Dover. 2300 anchored.

10 January 1869

Dover.
0750 Weighed anchor and proceeded westward.
0845 Set fore and aft sail. Passed Dungeness and set foresail.
1400 set Top sails.
2020 passed St Catherine’s Ligh.t Midnight. Portland Light

11 January 1869

0745. Shortened and furled sails.
0930. Fired a 17 gun salute which was returned by a 7 gun salute by the ROYAL ADELAIDE.
1000. Anchored in Plymouth Sound

12 January 1869

Plymouth Sound. Coaling from lighter.

13 January 1869

Plymouth Sound. Officers attended a Court Marshal onboard the ROYAL ADELAIDE

14 January 1869

Plymouth Sound. Took on 27 tons of water. Wind WSW Force 4-7. Barometer 29.65

15 January 1869

15-16 January 1869   

Plymouth Sound. Working with Top gallant masts.

17 January 1869

Plymouth Sound.
1000 lit fires.
1110. Shortened cable.
1130. Weighed and proceeded under steam bound for Madeira.
2130. Lost light of the Lizard.

18 January 1869

Latitude 48.20 N 7.05 W.

19 January 1869

Latitude 46.20 North
9.26 West. Set fore and aft sails followed by Staysail.  Laid down chain cable. Served out soap and tobacco.  Under steam.

20 January 1869

Latitude   44.16 N Longitude 11.47 W.  Light airs. 0420 In fore and aft sails. Blacksmith making patent iron nippers. Watches making rope stoppers, sennet and mats. Steaming.

21 January 1869

Latitude 42.14 N 1

2.45 W.  Wind SW Force 4. Set sails and stopped steaming. Make and mend clothing.

22 January 1869

Latitude 40.04 N Longitude

13.37 W. Carpenter making shot racks. Sailmaker making arm covers. [the end of the yards] Clothes line rigged.

 

23 January 1869

Latitude 38.51N Longitude

15.39W. Wind WSW. Force 1 rising to 5.

Barometer 30.26 inches. Set Spanker and top Staysail. One hour later took in Royals and Flying Jib.

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.

Anchor crest

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