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

Start typing to discover family names.

Pay Book Number: P/J 82983
Rank: Able Seaman/Leading Seaman

Remarks: Quartermaster 14 June 1938 remaining on ships books until 1 April 1941.
May have done the dhobing for PO Writer Yell.
(Survivor discharged to HMS Victory)
Born 28.10.1901 Ware Hertfordshire. (GRO reference number is 3a 610)
Lived in Bognor Regis.
Now deceased.
Married to Helen

Rank: Boy Seaman

Remarks: Boy Seaman. January 1939 to March 1939?

Rank: Ordinary Seaman/Able Seaman

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

Pay Book Number: P/SSX 31451
Rank: Ordinary Telegraphist
Relation: Son of Percy and Ellen Southworth of Salford, Lancs

Remarks: Ordinary Telegraphist. P/SSX 31451. Onboard September 1941 (Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41) Age 20 (single) son of Percy and Ellen Southworth of Salford, Lancs

Rank: Steward

Remarks: Steward. (Maltese) (July – October 1941) No number shown. Borne for victual charges only. No pay documents. (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)

Spiteri Dominick
Pay Book Number: L149661/ LX 22300
Rank: Petty Officer Cook (O)

Remarks: Petty Officer Cook (O) (Maltese) L149661/ LX 22300. Mention in Despatches (London Gazette 12 April 1940 for looking after Altmark released prisoners) 17 August 1938 to 24 July 1941 Joined RN 2 March 1946 and released in Class A 7 June 1947

Documents:

Gallery:

Pay Book Number: P/SS 125711
Rank: Stoker 1st Class RFR
Relation: He married Alice Louise Newman 21 June 1925. There were two daughters from the marriage.

Remarks: Stoker 1st Class RFR. P/SS 125711 (Died of injuries 23.10.41) Age 39. - son of Thomas James and Agnes Emma Springall. He married Alice Louise Newman 21 June 1925. There were two daughters from the marriage.
Joyce Irene, 1926, (Died November 2022). Born in Bethnal Green, London, Lived in Bexleyheath, Kent.
Maureen Ann, 1932 (still living 2023 aged 91). Born in Bethnal Green, London. Now lives in Virginia, U.S.A.
Alice never remarried. She passed away November, 1993. They had known each other since very young childhood.
Henry’s occupation was as foreman at a local dairy and was highly thought of.
War was declared in 1939, he was one of the first to be called for Naval duties. His ship HMS Effingham hit an unchartered rock off the coast of Norway where he spent three months battling German attacks. He was transferred to HMS Cossack which was torpedoed, 21 October 1941. He was picked up by HMS Legion; his body badly burnt. He was rushed to Ponta Delgada where he died of pneumonia and multiple burns 27 October 1941. He lies in the Protestant Cemetery, Ponta Delgada, the Azores, alongside a young 19 year old Able Seaman Reginald Thomas Gradin Wallace, HMS Cossack.

Documents:

Gallery:

Rank: Steward

Remarks: Steward. (Maltese) (July – October 1941) No number shown. Borne for victual charges only. No pay documents. (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)

Pay Book Number: P/JX 181961
Rank: Boy Seaman 1st Class

Remarks: Boy Seaman 1st Class. P/JX 181961 (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney) Described as a delightful cheery character that went on to make Petty Officer. Discharged in 1968 as a Chief petty officer.

Pay Book Number: P/J53278
Rank: Chief Petty Officer. Telegraphist.

Remarks: Chief Petty Officer. Telegraphist. BEM P/J53278. Mentioned in Despatches (14 October 1941 for Bismarck Action) (Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41)

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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