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.

24 January 1871

Latitude 3.34N. Longitude 88.43E. Course N3W. Wind variable from the north becoming NE force 2 with broken cloud.

Under steam. Barometer rising. Calm and light airs. Northerly current. 0015. Altered course to NNW.

0250 Set fore and aft sails.

0500. Set Topsail, Top gallant and Mainsail. Light wind from NE. Weather fine.

25 January 1871

Latitude 5.48N. Longitude 88.15E. Course N12W. Wind E by N force 2 becoming NE force 2 to 3.

Under steam and sail. Barometer rising to 30.08 inches.

0600. Slight breeze sprung up from E by N. Stopped steaming. Starboard Topmast and Top gallant sails set.

Noon. Wind heading. Under steam again. Course NW.

1700 Stopped steaming. Banked fires.

26 January 1871

Latitude 7.14N. Longitude 88.45. Course N46W. wind north east force 2 Under steam and sail. Barometer rising to 30.14 inches. Wind light.

0100. Proceeded under steam. Light airs from NE.

Noon. Altered course to WNW. Passed through a very strong tide rip. Deviation by Amplitude 1.0W.

2026. Stopped steaming.

27 January 1871

Latitude 7.44N. Longitude 84.49E. Course N75W. wind NNE force 2 becoming N by E force 1 to 3. Under steam and sail. Barometer 30.15 inches.

0610. Wind fill light. Commenced steaming. 1045. Stopped and  hove to board an Engle’s barque from Chittagong standing SW.

Noon. Proceeded under steam course NW by W ½ W. Wind N by E force 2.

2130. Stopped steaming

28 January 1871

Latitude 8.33 North. Longitude 82.43E. Course N63W. Wind NNE force 2 to 5 becoming 3 to 4.

Under steam and sail. Barometer 30.16 inches. Foul Point, Ceylon West 84 nautical miles. Employed cleaning ship throughout.

Noon. Altered course to W by N ½ N. Bent cables and restored anchors.

1800. Commenced steaming.

2000. Altered course to W by N.

2120. Stopped steaming. Wind fill light from NNE force 2. Commences steaming course W by S.

29 January 1871

0630. Arrived in Trincomalee Harbour under steam.

Wind NE force 1. Barometer steady at 30.16. maximum temperature 81F.

0140. Observed foul point Light SW by S. Altered course to SW  by W. shortened and furled sails.

0245. Observed Round Light SW. Altered course to SW.

0510. Eased engines.

0833. Stopped and came to with a broken bottom in 10 fathoms and veered to 3 shackles.

1000. Mustered by Divisions. Performed Divine Service. Joined the ship Dr Mc Donogh, Mr Beston – Chief Engineer. And Mr …

0630. Arrived in Trincomalee Harbour under steam.

Wind NE force 1. Barometer steady at 30.16. maximum temperature 81F.

0140. Observed foul point Light SW by S. Altered course to SW  by W. shortened and furled sails.

0245. Observed Round Light SW. Altered course to SW.

0510. Eased engines.

0833. Stopped and came to with a broken bottom in 10 fathoms and veered to 3 shackles.

1000. Mustered by Divisions. Performed Divine Service. Joined the ship Dr Mc Donogh, Mr Beston – Chief Engineer. And Mr MacLean – Clerk. Anchorage bearings – all magnetic. – Admiral Flag staff NE, York Shoal buoy NW.

1730. Draught of water . aft 17 feet 8 inches. Forward 15 feet 1 inch. Out boom boats. Unbent Trysails and Stud sails.

30 January 1871

At single anchor. Wind calm becoming NE force 1. Barometer dropping to 30.12 inches. Unbent sails. Down top gallant yards. Sent shackles and cargo of provisions ashore to Dockyard. Sent sails to sail loft. Artificers making good small defects. Landed field pieces and shackles

31 January 1871

At single anchor. Wind NE force 1. Barometer rising to 30.17 inches.

0510. Down Top gallant masts. Sent Topmasts  down in to tops. Down top gallant and Royal rigging. Unrove running gear. Artificers making good small defects. Party at dockyard returning stores.

01 February 1871

At anchor off dockyard in Trincomalee. Light airs becoming north force 2 to 3. Barometer falling to 30.12 inches.

Employed refitting ship and dressing running gear. Sent a dockyard party on shore. Returned condemned rope to dockyard.

1400 Read Warrants for the committal of Ordinary Chas Lacy, Able Seaman John Magrath and Thos. Green to 42 days imprisonment with hard labour. Crossed Topsail yards.

02 February 1871

Wind N force 2 reducing to light airs. Employed refitting ship and rattling down, serving gear etc. Sent gunners condemned stores to Gun Wharf . Surveying Officers on shore surveying provisions.

03 February 1871

Wind NE force 1 becoming northerly force 1 with broken cloud. Sent Party to dockyard. Employed refitting ship and rattling down. Running new running gear.

1400 Up Top gallant masts. Dockyard water tank came alongside. Received 13 tons of water.

04 February 1871

Wind calm becoming northerly force . Barometer dropping to 30.02 inches maximum temperature 79F.

Employed blacking  down. Sent dockyard  party to dockyard. Employed cleaning ship throughout.

05 February 1871

Wind calm becoming NE force1.

Mustered by Division and performed Divine Service. Gave special leave to both watches and privilege leave to starboard watch.

06 February 1871

Wind SSW force 1 to 2 becoming NE 1 to 2. Barometer dropping to 30.05 inches. Maximum temperature 84F.

Rigged Jib boom as derrick to lift screw on deck to fit Banjo frame. ( Banjo – The brass frame in which the screw propeller works and  is hung for hoisting the screw on to deck. The frame fits between slides fixed on the inner and outer  stern posts.) Returning Warrant Officers stores. Gave General leave to starboard watch (36 hours)

07 February 1871

Wind light north easterly airs becoming north force 1.

Employed returning gunners stores, fitting gun gear and grafting ropes. Banjo fitted. Down screw

08 February 1871

Wind southerly force 1 becoming calm.

Unrigged derrick and fitting gun gear. Rove screw purchase. Up and down screw for trial. Sunset gave 36 hours leave to port watch.

09 February 1871

Wind calm with occasional light airs.

Party at dockyard. Watered by tank from dockyard. Returning Engineers condemned stores.

10 February 1871

Wind north easterly force 1 becoming NNE force 1 to 2.

Returning Engineers and Warrant Officers stores from yard and storing them. Grafting and pointing ropes

11 February 1871

Wind northerly force 1 becoming force 1 to 2.

Employed cleaning sip throughout.. Crossed Top gallant yards. Field piece crew at drill in dockyard.

12 February 1871

Wind NNE force 2.

Performed divine service. Gave special leave and privilege leave to both watches.

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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