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 140520
Rank: Acting Leading Seaman Temporary.
When Allotted: January 1939

Remarks: DSM. (London Gazette 12 April 1940 for ALTMARK incident First seaman onboard)
‘B’ 4.7 gun crew. Captain of the Mess
Badly burnt (See account by Ray Davies who says Raggy was put ashore at the Azores with one other).
Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41. Age 23 (married to Jessie Featherstone of Maltby, Rotherham, Yorkshire – Best man Reg Bower)
Sson of John Thomas and Eva May Marshall 93 Victoria Street, Maltby.
Joined the RN at 15.
Prior to COSSACK served on COURAGEOUS and ROYAL OAK.

Rank: Leading Seaman

Remarks: Leading Seaman. January 1939 to March 1939?

Rank: Leading Seaman
When Allotted: January 1939
Pay Book Number: P/JX 150284
Rank: Acting Leading Seaman

Remarks: Acting Leading Seaman. Temporary. P/JX 150284.
(Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)

Pay Book Number: P/JX 150284
Rank: Acting Leading Seaman. Temporary.

Remarks: Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney,

Pay Book Number: P/JX 238789
Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. P/JX 238789. (Wounded 23.10.41 and discharged to military hospital and HMS Cormorant)

Pay Book Number: P/JX 238945
Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman P/JX 238945. DSM for RDF work during Operations Substance and Style. (London Gazette 25 November 1941page 6772) (Wounded
23.10.41 and discharged to military hospital and HMS Cormorant)

Rank: Acting Petty Officer/Petty Officer

Remarks: Acting Petty Officer/Petty Officer. January 1939 to March 1940?

Maurice Robin Hamilton
Rank: Lt Cdr.
Relation: Survived by Wife - Eve

Remarks: Lt Cdr. DSC (London Gazette 14 October 1941 for Bismarck Action). Mentioned in Dispatches (London Gazette 3 December 1940 for ambush of German convoy off Egersund) Appointed to Cossack 27.3.40. Shown also as 22 May 1940. Staff Navigating and Operations Officer to Vian. Other ships include CLEOPATRA – Awarded DSO,SCYLLA, CAVENDISH, FROBISHER, DOSETSHIRE, RODNEY, FALMOUTH, DRYAD, TAMAR, DECOY, NATO staff appointment. Joined RN at 13 as a Cadet Left RN 1959. Born 6 November 1910 Died aged 82. Survived by Wife - Eve

Pay Book Number: P/KX 95180
Rank: Leading Stoker

Remarks: Leading Stoker. Temporary. P/KX 95180. (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)

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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