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 May 1871

Wind SW force becoming ESE force 2.

Preparing for painting ship. Party at dockyard. Painting yards etc. Gave general leave to port watch

26 May 1871

Wind SW force becoming ESE light to calm airs.

Painting ship. Party at dockyard repairing boats and sails.. Two carpenters assisted to make main yard for COLUMBINE. Watering from dockyard tank.

27 May 1871

Wind SW force 1 becoming ENE force 1.

Sent usual party to dockyard. Two carpenters  on shore assisting to make Main yard for COLUMBINE. Painting ship. Gave general leave to starboard watch.

28 May 1871

Sent Roman Catholics to chapel. Mustered by Divisions. Performed Divine Service.. Gave special leave to port watch

29 May 1871

Wind SW force1 becoming ENE force  1.

Sent party to dockyard. Employed as requisite.

30 May 1871

Wind SW force 2 to 4 increasing to 4 to5. Barometer 29.95 inches. Maximum temperature 92F.

Party at dockyard refitting sails. Numbers 3 and 4 of guns crews on shore firing shot and shell at target with howitzers and field gun.

31 May 1871

Wind SW force 3 to 5 decreasing to 2 to 4.

Clearing holds. Party at dockyard. Returned shakes. ( Pieces of timber with cracks or rents in them). Cleaning and whitewashing holds and Spirit Room.. employed re-provisioning ship and receiving Gunners Stores. Employed storing holds.

01 June 1871

Wind SW force 4. Barometer 29.92 inches.

Sent party to Dockyard. Watch employed variously.

02 June 1871

Wind SW force 3 to 4 becoming WSW force 3.

Party at  dockyard. up screw.

1130 down screw. Employed making up sails for bending. Captain parish went onboard COLUMBINE and mustered Ship’s Company. Supplied COLUMBINE with 2800 lbs of biscuits. Bent sails and crossed Top gallant yards.

03 June 1871

Wind SW force 4 becoming WSW force 5 to 6.

0630. HMS COLUMBINE sailed. Cleaning ship throughout. Party at dockyard employed as requisite.

04 June 1871

Wind SW force 4 to 5.

Sent Roman Catholics to chapel. Mustered by Open List. Performed Divine service. Gave special leave to to both watches and privileged leave to port watch.

05 June 1871

d SW force 4.

Party at dockyard. Listed ship over to port with the guns. (7 ½ keel) to get at leak. Found that brine pipe was damaged. (Discharges brine from the bottom of the boilers) Employed repairing brine pipe. Lt. Eden and Lt Hallett RN surveying dockyard stores. Launched boats. Artificers repairing brine pipe.

06 June 1871

Wind SW force 4

Party at dockyard.

1100 brine pipe finished. Transported guns. Pistol men of watch firing at target.

07 June 1871

Wind SW force 3 to 4 increasing to 5.

Second company of small arms men firing at a target. Party on shore repairing sails.. first company of small arms men and marines on shore firing at a target. Completed water.

08 June 1871

1649. Left harbour under steam. Wind SW force 4 increasing to 5.

1330. In boom boats. Preparing for sea.

1340. Lit fires under both boilers.

1545. Weighed and proceeded. Course SE ½ S.

1715. Made all plain sail save Royals and Flying jib.

1800. Foul Point N60W. Alligator Rocks S40W. Stopped steaming. Course SE ½ S.

 

Remarks

The dockyard appears to in every way efficient for the supplies of the ships of the station, except in the Victualling Department which is generally deficient of some…

1649. Left harbour under steam. Wind SW force 4 increasing to 5.

1330. In boom boats. Preparing for sea.

1340. Lit fires under both boilers.

1545. Weighed and proceeded. Course SE ½ S.

1715. Made all plain sail save Royals and Flying jib.

1800. Foul Point N60W. Alligator Rocks S40W. Stopped steaming. Course SE ½ S.

 

Remarks

The dockyard appears to in every way efficient for the supplies of the ships of the station, except in the Victualling Department which is generally deficient of some things, especially bread. On our provisioning only sufficient sugar and flour to take us to the Capes. At Madras we received 4000 lbs of biscuit from contractor ( Parry and Co) about 2000 lbs of which we turned over to COLUMBINE so as to facilitate her departure. The Control Department and naval contractor supplying us biscuit; the latter producing very inferior stuff.. The COLUMBINE took her departure on the 3 June having received two spares for main yard – the first ones being condemned on examination and two of our carpenters were employed in assisting with the other.

We had very little rain and a strong SW monsoon blowing the whole time with exception of two or three days ( 26 – 29 may) when the wind hauled round to ENE. The anchorage in Back Bay is nice and quiet this time of the year; several small craft being at anchor

09 June 1871

Latitude 7.7N. Longitude 82.19E.  Course S34E. Light variable winds becoming SW force 4. Under steam and sail.

0115. Commenced steaming. Furled square sails. 0620. Altered course to S by E. Observed a ship standing to the northward. A heavy swell from southward.

0900 Lowered cutter and gig. Exercised at General Quarters firing shell at target.

1000 proceeded under fore and aft sail. A long swell from southward.

1830. Stopped steaming and made sail.

1900 alatered course to SE by S. Wind steady …

Latitude 7.7N. Longitude 82.19E.  Course S34E. Light variable winds becoming SW force 4. Under steam and sail.

0115. Commenced steaming. Furled square sails. 0620. Altered course to S by E. Observed a ship standing to the northward. A heavy swell from southward.

0900 Lowered cutter and gig. Exercised at General Quarters firing shell at target.

1000 proceeded under fore and aft sail. A long swell from southward.

1830. Stopped steaming and made sail.

1900 alatered course to SE by S. Wind steady  from SW force 5 to 6.

10 June 1871

Latitude 4.44N. Longitude 83.56E. Course S34E. Wind SW force 5 to 6 decreasing to 5. Under sail.

0130. Rounded in wind SW by W force 6. Swell from SW.

1120. Set Fore and main top gallant sails. Weather inclined to be squally.

1530. Main topgallant split. Shifted main top gallant sail. Working to cross Equator in 860  E.

11 June 1871

Latitude 2.18N. Longitude 86.39E. Course S35E. Wind SW force 4 to 5 decreasing to 4. Under sail. Weather unsettled with rain.

1315. Altered course to SSE.

1820. Out reefs. Performed Divine Service

12 June 1871

Latitude  0.30N. Longitude 86.59E. Course S29E. Wind SW force 4. Barometer 30.07 inches Under sail. Squally and rainy.

0600. In first  reefs of Topsails. Gin block of lee Main topsail sheet carried away. Lashed a shackle in lieu. Heavy westerly swell.

1000 commenced steaming. Course South. Crossed the Equator in 870 ¼ E. wind steady but light and inclined to rain.

13 June 1871

Latitude 1.21S. Longitude 87.10E. Course S6E. Wind SW force 3 becoming south westerly force 2.  Under steam and sail. Steaming.  Rain during the night.

2015. Calm. In Fore and aft sails. Working for Rodrigisy Island

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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