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: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. October 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. (S.T.) 1938 to April 1940. Died 8 August 1999

Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman 1940 (Transferred to AFRIDI before Narvik)

Pay Book Number: LO/X 4942
Rank: Signalman

Remarks: Signalman LO/X 4942 January 1940 to March 1940. On bridge at ALTMARK Incident. Factory worker before the war
Joined with Ron Maynard , Wallace Newman {Johnny} stoker and two other stokers. Sid Hart Telegraphist .

March 1940 ZULU until hit by mine in River Forth
Transferred to MAORI until sunk in Malta 1941.
Ashore in signal station Malta during the Siege.
Returned to UK Oct 41
Next was "party M" and sent to Burma as combined operations. Served in jungle on wireless vans. Sent to Akayab.
Returned to UK for demob in 1945 and joined the Port of London Police
Always said that the ARK ROYAL planes slowed down Bismarck but at nightfall MAORI shadowed her and slowed her down further by a well-placed torpedo. Returned to UK for demobilisation in 1945. Emigrated with family to Australia in 1973. Lived in Cheltenham, Victoria Australia. Born 2 March 1921. Died 2018 age 96

Documents:

Gallery:

Rank: Stoker Petty Officer

Remarks: Stoker Petty Officer. January 1939 to March 1940?

Pay Book Number: P/JX 212267
Rank: Ordinary Seaman. Able Seaman.
Relation: son of Timothy Francis and Elsie Mitchell of Horsham, Sussex

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. Able Seaman. P/JX 212267. (Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41) Age 21 (single) son of Timothy Francis and Elsie Mitchell of Horsham, Sussex

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. October 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. January 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Chief Steward

Remarks: Chief Steward. (Maltese) 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 39 – 45, Naval General Service Medal, Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, The Malta George Cross Fiftieth Anniversary Medal. (29 July 1939 to July 1941) Born 8 September 1913. Died

Rank: Temporary Sub Lt RNVR

Remarks: Temporary Sub Lt RNVR. Appointed to Cossack 10 May 1941

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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