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 September 1872

Latitude 21.50S. Longitude 179.10E. Course S6W. Wind westerly force 3 decreasing to 1. Under sail. Barometer 30.02 inches. Maximum temperature 80F. A heavy swell from the eastward.

Daylight. Sail in sight. Exercised at General quarters.

2000. The swell which had been all day from the eastward now came up from rh SW. the wind being as yesterday.

25 September 1872

Latitude 22.9S. Longitude 172.53E. Course S24W. Wind WNW force 1 to 2. Wind WNW force 1 to 2. Under sail. Maximum temperature 76F. Sea temperature 77F.

Daylight. Sail in sight. Employed as requisite. Sailmakers altering awnings. Carpenters repairing galley. Light and steady wind from WNW. Exercised reefing Topsails.

26 September 1872

Latitude 22.9S Longitude 178.30E. Course West. Wind north westerly and easterly  becoming NNW to NE. Under sail. Calm  and light airs from northward.

0900. Lit fires under both boilers but a light breeze springing up from eastward put them out again. Exercised at General Quarters.

27 September 1872

Latitude 23.3S. longitude 177.16E. Course S52W. Wind northerly force 3 increasing to force 4. Under sail.

0600. Set royals, Fore topmast and Top gallant stud sails. Exercised at General Quarters. Watch employed making mats etc.

1315 In Top gallant stud sails and at Evening Quarters in first reef of Topsails , Royals and Topmast stud sails.

1940. In second reef of Fore and main Topsails and third reef of Mizzen topsail.

Today the wind was steady from NW for the first time since we left harbour be…

Latitude 23.3S. longitude 177.16E. Course S52W. Wind northerly force 3 increasing to force 4. Under sail.

0600. Set royals, Fore topmast and Top gallant stud sails. Exercised at General Quarters. Watch employed making mats etc.

1315 In Top gallant stud sails and at Evening Quarters in first reef of Topsails , Royals and Topmast stud sails.

1940. In second reef of Fore and main Topsails and third reef of Mizzen topsail.

Today the wind was steady from NW for the first time since we left harbour being in force fro 3 to 4 during the day and rising rather squally force 5 to 6 for two or three hours in the evening and ending at WNW. Barometer being rather lower than usual having fallen to 29.88 inches during the afternoon.

28 September 1872

Latitude 24.47S. longitude 176.2E. Course S33W. Wind W by S force 3 becoming south westerly force 3. Under sail.

Daylight. Out second reef of Topsails and third reef of Mizzen topsail. Squally and rainy weather. Wind veering to the southward making a decided difference in the temperature. Ship breaking off to eastward of south.

Noon. Wore and made about west on the port tack. Shortening and making sail as requisite.

29 September 1872

Latitude 23.57S. Longitude 174.49E. Course N53W. Wind SSW force 3 becoming southerly force 4. Under sail.

0530. Broke off to NW. Wore but wind again shifted to SW  and soon to SW. Observed a barque standing to the westward ( DUKE OF EDINBURGH).

0300. Wind SSW and ship making SE. Wore and made about W by S. altered course to SW ½  W . Performed Divine Service. Variation by Ampe. 100 9’15” East.

30 September 1872

Latitude 24.2S. Longitude 173.3E. Course S87W. Wind SE by S. becoming ESE force 1 to 2. Under sail. Barometer 30.19. Maximum temperature 70F. sea temperature 73F.

0300. Weather fine and wind hauling to the SE. Rounded in and out reefs and made plain sail.. Company at drill. Watch as requisite.

Noon. Altered course to SW. wind increasing between SE and SSE with clear sky. Barometer 30.14 inches. Variation by Ampe 110 17’ 15” Easterly

 

The Log of Midshipman Nedham ends at this point.

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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