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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Rank: Telegraphist
When Allotted: October 1929
Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. January 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Able Seaman
When Allotted: January 1939
Pay Book Number: P/JX 140721
Rank: Leading Signalman
Relation: Married three times and had a son and daughter. Grandson (Richard Elford )piloted helicopters in Afghanistan.

Remarks: Leading Signalman. P/JX 140721. Joined RN in 1932 age 14 at HMS St Vincent. Served on Arctic convoys. Onboard Cossack as a Signalman January 1939 (Wounded 23.10.41 & discharged to military hospital and HMS Cormorant). Served on HMS Matchless. Discharged from RN January 1949 as Chief Yeoman of Signals. Married three times and had a son and daughter. Became GPO Post Master in Brighton. Died October 1992. His ashes were scattered at sea. Grandson (Richard Elford )piloted helicopters in Afghanistan.

Pay Book Number: P/SSX 28762
Rank: Acting Leading Telegraphist
Relation: (married to A. L. J. of Southampton) Son of William and Daisy Elms

Remarks: Acting Leading Telegraphist. Temporary. P/SSX 28762. Onboard as Ordinary Telegraphist October 1939 (Missing presumed killed 23.10.41) Age 21 (married to A. L. J. of Southampton) Son of William and Daisy Elms

Pay Book Number: P/SSX 28762
Rank: Acting Leading Telegraphist
Relation: (married to A. L. J. of Southampton) Son of William and Daisy Elms
When Allotted: October 1939

Remarks: Acting Leading Telegraphist. Temporary. P/SSX 28762.
Onboard as Ordinary Telegraphist October 1939
(Missing presumed killed 23.10.41) Age 21 (married to A. L. J. of Southampton) Son of William and Daisy Elms

Rank: Signalman

Remarks: Signalman. 1940 at Altmark incident

Rank: Signalman

Remarks: 1940 at Altmark incident

Embley Geoff E
Pay Book Number: P/JX 164291
Rank: Boy Seaman 1st Class Bugler
Relation: Survived by daughters Janice Hill, Marilyn Streatch and son Geoffrey

Remarks: Boy Seaman 1st Class. Bugler. P/JX 164291.
Joined LO3 August 1941. The Boys Mess Deck was on the Starboard side of the lower deck. At Action Stations he was the right hand fuse setter on X gun. Was on X Gun deck looking out Port side forward when he saw the phosphorescent trail of the torpedo approaching (Survivor picked up by Legion and discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)
Joined RN 17 2.40 as a Boy 2nd Class at GANGES. 18.2.40 Boy 1st Class. 17.5.40 St GEORGE, 31.10.40 VICTORY, 22.9.40 VERNON, 26.8.41 VICTORY, 29..8.41 COSSACK, 28 .10.41 VICTORY as an Able Seaman, 7.1.42 FORMIDABLE, 23.5.42 Able Seaman, 1.12.43 VICTORY, 9.3.44 VERNON (R), 4.8.44 EMERALD,23.9.44 VICTORY, 3.10.44 VANOC, 10.2.45 VICTORY, 12.2.45 Acting Leading Seaman (Temp), 19.4.45 VERNON (R),
3.8.45 MARLBOROUGH, 30.11.45 VERNON P,
12.2.46 Leading Seaman (Temp),
24.7.46 MARLBOROUGH, 21.11.46 Leading Seaman, 3.12.46 VERNON, 17.2.47 VICTORY,
19.2.47 COLLINGWOOD,
14.4.47 Changed branch to Leading Electricians Mate and changed number to C/MX766384, 6.7.47 DEFIANCE, 25.10 47 COLLINGWOOD, 25.11.47 MAIDSTONE, 2.2.48 VICTORY, 13.3.48 CONCORD, 7.10.48 Acting Electrician,, 28.7.49 BELFAST, 7.10.49 Electrician, 6.4.50 TERROR, 11.4.50 VICTORY, 5.7.50 OSPREY, 6.6.51 JUTLAND, 3.5.52 BARROSA, 4.5.53 PEMBROKE –CS expired.,
Left RN 1954 and joined Royal Canadian Navy for 21 ½ years followed by 14 years in the Canadian Coastguard. 7.7.54 NIOBE as P2ET3, 16.7.54 CORNWALLIS, 29.11.54 STADACONA, 12.12.54 NOOTKA, 28.3.55 STADACONA, 19.12.55 QUEBEC, 6.6.56 MAGNIFICENT,1.6.57 P2ET4, , 15.6.57 STADACONA, 23.6.58 CAPE BRETON, 8.8.58 NADEN (Shipyard), 29.8.58 BROCKVILLE, 31.10.58 STADACONA, 28.12.58 KOOTENAY, 17.12.60 TERRA NOVA, 17.1.62 STADACONA, 3.6.62 OUTREMONT, 15.4.63 STANSACONA, 6.3.63 CAPE SCOTT, 6.9.63 NADEN (FS), 1.12.63 C2ET4 –Promoted to commissioned officer 17.4.64. Following the WWII he married Kathleen in Hong Kong Died 13 May 2014 with his ashes committed to the deep from HMCS Sackville during Battle of the Atlantic Ceremonies in May 2015. Survived by daughters Janice Hill, Marilyn Streatch and son Geoffrey

Pay Book Number: P/JX 164291
Rank: Boy Seaman 1st Class. Bugler.
When Allotted: August 1941

Remarks: The Boys Mess Deck was on the Starboard side of the lower deck. At Action Stations he was the right hand fuse setter on X gun. Was on X Gun deck looking out Port side forward when he saw the phosphorescent trail of the torpedo approaching (Survivor picked up by Legion and discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney).
Joined RN 17 2.40 as a Boy 2nd Class at GANGES. 18.2.40 Boy 1st Class. 17.5.40 St GEORGE, 31.10.40 VICTORY, 22.9.40 VERNON, 26.8.41 VICTORY, 29..8.41 COSSACK, 28 .10.41 VICTORY as an Able Seaman, 7.1.42 FORMIDABLE, 23.5.42 Able Seaman, 1.12.43 VICTORY, 9.3.44 VERNON (R), 4.8.44 EMERALD,23.9.44 VICTORY, 3.10.44 VANOC, 10.2.45 VICTORY, 12.2.45 Acting Leading Seaman (Temp), 19.4.45 VERNON (R),
3.8.45 MARLBOROUGH, 30.11.45 VERNON P, 12.2.46 Leading Seaman (Temp), 24.7.46 MARLBOROUGH, 21.11.46 Leading Seaman, 3.12.46 VERNON, 17.2.47 VICTORY, 19.2.47 COLLINGWOOD, 14.4.47 Changed branch to Leading Electricians Mate and changed number to C/MX766384, 6.7.47 DEFIANCE, 25.10 47 COLLINGWOOD, 25.11.47 MAIDSTONE, 2.2.48 VICTORY, 13.3.48 CONCORD, 7.10.48 Acting Electrician,, 28.7.49 BELFAST, 7.10.49 Electrician, 6.4.50 TERROR, 11.4.50 VICTORY, 5.7.50 OSPREY, 6.6.51 JUTLAND, 3.5.52 BARROSA, 4.5.53 PEMBROKE –CS expired.,
Left RN 1954 and joined Royal Canadian Navy for 21 ½ years followed by 14 years in the Canadian Coastguard. 7.7.54 NIOBE as P2ET3, 16.7.54 CORNWALLIS, 29.11.54 STADACONA, 12.12.54 NOOTKA, 28.3.55 STADACONA, 19.12.55 QUEBEC, 6.6.56 MAGNIFICENT,1.6.57 P2ET4, , 15.6.57 STADACONA, 23.6.58 CAPE BRETON, 8.8.58 NADEN (Shipyard), 29.8.58 BROCKVILLE, 31.10.58 STADACONA, 28.12.58 KOOTENAY, 17.12.60 TERRA NOVA, 17.1.62 STADACONA, 3.6.62 OUTREMONT, 15.4.63 STANSACONA, 6.3.63 CAPE SCOTT, 6.9.63 NADEN (FS), 1.12.63 C2ET4 –Promoted to commissioned officer 17.4.64.
Following the WWII he married Kathleen in Hong Kong Died 13 May 2014 with his ashes committed to the deep from HMCS Sackville during Battle of the Atlantic Ceremonies in May 2015.
Survived by daughters Janice Hill, Marilyn Streatch and son Geoffrey.

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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