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/JX 188575
Rank: Boy 1st Class. Ordinary Seaman.
Relation: Had a sister who was 84 in 2015

Remarks: Boy 1st Class. Ordinary Seaman. P/JX 188575. (Missing presumed killed 23.10.41) Age 18 (single) Son of James and Florence Phyliss of Saltley, Birmingham. Had a sister who was 84 in 2015

Rank: Stoker

Remarks: Stoker. October 1939 to March 1940?

Pay Book Number: P/JX 164423
Rank: Leading Seaman
Relation: Parents: Arthur Thomas and Jane Fox

Remarks: Helmsman at action stations.
Taught those new to the RN how to cook (See Recollections by Reg Doring).
Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41). Age 36.
Married to Olive Winifred of Sherborne, Dorset.

Pay Book Number: P/JX 194790
Rank: Boy 1st Class
Relation: son of Mervyn Berrisford and Violet Irene Fradley

Remarks: Boy 1st Class P/JX 194790. (Missing presumed killed 23.10.41) Age 17 (single) son of Mervyn Berrisford and Violet Irene Fradley

Freeland Stanley Robert
Pay Book Number: P/JX 274220
Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. P/JX 274220. Born 1 March 1922 in Woking Surrey. Joined RN 3 June 1941. Married Phyllis and lived in Chertsey. Joined L03 26 August 1941 (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney) and became a submariner for the rest of the war. He served on HMS Seraph P219 that did the operation Mincemeat. He also served on HMS Tuna N94 which was involved in operation Franklin (Cockelshell Heros).

Other ships Collingwood, Victory, Drake, Pembroke, Dolphin, Cyclops, Wolf, Forth, Elfin (Tuna). Seraph, Released 8 March 1946 as an Able Seaman and lived in Woking Surrey. Passed away on the 4th of December 2019 aged 97 years and 9 months.

Gallery:

Rank: Stoker

Remarks: Stoker. January 1939 to March 1939?

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. January 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Leading SA

Remarks: Leading SA. January 1939 to March 1939?

Rank: Ordinary Seaman/Able Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman/Able Seaman. January 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Leading Seaman

Remarks: Leading Seaman. October 1939 to March 1940?

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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