During the 2nd WW the ship was adopted by Beckenham, Kent. As the sister of Lt Cmdr P Vian (Later Admiral) – Marian Vian had a school in Beckenham named after her. Reg Morrison passed the 11 plus whilst attending in 1942. A plaque marking the adoption was put up in the town hall. This building was demolished in 1991 to make way for a supermarket. The area is now under the London Borough of Bromley.

HMS Cossack F03

Ships Company

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Pay Book Number: P/KX 80106
Rank: Stoker Petty Officer

Remarks: (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)

Rank: Ordinary Seaman
When Allotted: October 1939
Rank: Stoker.

Remarks: (Survivor) Not listed as being onboard at sinking.

Remarks: Lt./Lt Cdr. October 1939 to March 1940? (Gunnery
Officer following Begg)

Pay Book Number: C/JX139393
Rank: Leading Telegraphist

Remarks: Joined January 1938
(Survivor –hospital on Gibraltar 23 October 1941. Discharged to HMS Cormorant (Rock W/T) Died 14 December 1997 Aged 80

Rank: Temporary Lt (E)

Remarks: Appointed 25 March 1941

Cranham. Leonard Cresswell
Pay Book Number: P/JX 131492
Rank: Yeoman of Signals

Remarks: (Killed 23.10.41) Age 30 (married Elizabeth Constance of Caterham, Surrey) Son of Leonard C and Eleanor Cranham

Rank: Stoker Petty Officer
When Allotted: January 1939
Craven. Geoffrey.
Rank: Paymaster Sub Lt. (Temp. Pay. Lt.) DSC RNVR.

Remarks: Joined RNVR 1938. Called up 23 August 1939 (Appointed October 1939) Joined COSSACK at Alexandria two days before war broke out. At BISMARCK action . At ALTMARK incident (Spoke fluent German) - Held 8 German Merchant officers and the German Navy Captain prisoners on the bridge with a pistol (5 rounds) accompanied by one seaman armed with a bayonet. Distinguished Service Cross (London Gazette 12 April 1940.

At the time of the sinking of L03 saw the torpedo approaching on the Port side. (Wounded 23.10.1941 & discharged to HMS Cormorant) Secretary to Captain D- Berthon - at the time of the sinking. Picked up by LEGION (Made Lt Cdr) Declared unfit for sea service because of injuries to foot he spent the remainder of the war on the staff of Admiral Ramsey at Dover planning for the D day landings. This is where he met his wife Felicity. Left RN 1948 to become export director for Shell.
Died 11 February 2004.

Gallery:

Rank: Able Seaman (L/S)
When Allotted: October 1939

Hidden Gems

The HMS Cossack 1938-1941 was accepted on 10 June 1938 and dented, whilst coming alongside the jetty in Portsmouth on 12 June 1938.

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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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