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/SSX 29742
Rank: Acting Leading Seaman. Temporary.

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

Pay Book Number: P/KX 95157
Rank: Acting Leading Stoker
Relation: Son of John Henry and Elsie Lilian Tribe of Southsea, Hampshire

Remarks: Acting Leading Stoker. Temporary. P/KX 95157. (Missing presumed killed 23.10.41) Age 27 (single) Son of John Henry and Elsie Lilian Tribe of Southsea, Hampshire

Rank: Leading Stoker

Remarks: Leading Stoker. January 1939 to March 1939?

Pay Book Number: P/JX 159504
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Relation: Son of Alfred S. and Edith Turk of Horsham, Sussex

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. P/JX 159504. (Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41) Age 18 (single) Son of Alfred S. and Edith Turk of Horsham, Sussex

Turner Bradwell Talbot Topsy
Rank: Lt Commander CVO DSO OBE RN (Executive Officer)

Remarks: Lt Commander CVO DSO OBE RN (Executive Officer)
Onboard at January 1939 (First to board the Altmark – DSO London Gazette 12 April 1940) Joined the RN at 14 and was a cadet at Dartmouth. After the ALTMARK incident was seconded to the Admiralty Staff. Later became Naval Attache at UK Embassy Oslo and was made Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
Lived in Maltravers Drive Littlehampton. Chiddingford Surrey, 44 St Johns Road Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 3EB, and retired to Little Badow. Essex. Born 1907 Died 21 March 1989 aged 82. Blue Plaque unveiled in Littlehampton 2004.

Documents:

Gallery:

Pay Book Number: P/MX54005
Rank: ERA5

Remarks: ERA5 P/MX54005. Joined 15 January 1941 to 10 May 1941.
Joined RN 4.1.37 as ERA apprentice at ‘PEMBROKE. 2.9.37 CALEDONIA (Roysth). 4.9 39 COCHRANE (MTE). 13.12.40 VICTORY II as ERA5. 15.1.41 COSSACK. (Transferred with Captain Vian’s staff and returned to HMS Afridi) Boarding Party for Altmark Incident. 11.5.41 VICTORY II. 24.5.41 SCYLLA. 12.9.41 rated ERA4. 21.741 SIRIUS. 12.9.44 Rated ERA 3. 10.11.47 VICTORY II. 3.12.47 ROSSNEATH (93rd Flotilla Staff LCT.
11.2.48 ROSSNEATH (20th Flotilla LCT).
22.3.48 VICTORY II. 22.4.48 HOWE.
19.5.48 VICTORY II. 1.9.48 WOLFE.
12.9.48 rated to ERA2. 20.11.48 VICTORY.
8.7.49 MARAUDER as acting Chief ERA.
8.3.52 made CERA. 10.7. 52 VICTORY 1.
14.8.52 promoted to acting Commissioned Engineer. March 1953 to October 1954 IMPLACABLE.

Joined submarines October 1955. October 1955 to February 1957 SERAPH.
October 1957 to December 1959 SEA DEVIL.
June 1960 to September 1962, GRAMPUS?
(January 1963 to May 1965 AMBROSE?)
June 1965 to February 1968 MAIDSTONE.
1968 to July 1970 Admiralty March .
Left the RN 1971 to join submarine design section of the RAN. Died 28th December 2009

Pay Book Number: P/JX 160608
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Relation: Son of Frank Albert and Annie Mary Turner of Watford, Herts.

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. P/JX 160608. (Missing presumed Killed 23.10.41) Age 18 (single) son of Frank Albert and Annie Mary Turner of Watford, Herts.

Rank: Petty Officer

Remarks: Petty Officer. January 1939 to March 1939?

Rank: Communications on ‘X’ gun

Remarks: Communications on ‘X’ gun

Pay Book Number: C/SSX 29914
Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman C/SSX 29914. Died 13 April 1940 (Battle of Narvik) Name appears on the Chatham Memorial

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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