Year by Year
Discover the history of the HMS Cossack from 1938 to 1941.
You can search the ‘year’ and ‘month’ to find a specific date and also ‘click’ on the date itself to reveal any images and moments from that date.
13 February 1940
COSSACK and GURKHA arrived at Rosyth
At midnight on 13th February 1940 six of His Majesty’s Ships, the cruiser HMS Arethusa, and the destroyers HMS Cossack, HMS Sikh, HMS Nubian, HMS Ivanhoe, and HMS Intrepid, sailed from Rosyth to search the waters off the Norwegian coast. The Altmark was hugging the Norwegian coast, staying in neutral waters. Despite being “inspected”, but not searched, by Norwegian patrol vessels she continued slowly on her way. Just north of Bergen she was stopped again by the Norwegian destroyer Garm but the Captain of Altmark refused to allow a search and was told to leave the area. The British ships were scattered over a wide area, Captain Vian and HMS Cossack were far to the south investigating the large number of ships in the Leads and among the offshore islands.
14 February 1940
(Admiralty file ADM 199/281) COSSACK departed Rosyth at 2100 passing the bridge at 2230, speed 12 knots, on Operation DT.
1st Division. COSSACK, SIKH, NUBIAN
2nd Division IVANHOE, INTREPID
3rd Division. PENELOPE, ARETHUSA (Cruiser)
The 1st and 2nd Divisions formed the First Group with the 3rd Division being the Second Group.
PENELOPE had fouled baffle and remained in port
According to Action this Day the ships were – ARETHUSA (Cruiser), COSSACK, INTREPID, IVANHOE, MAORI and SIKH (Fleet destroyers)
Orders were to sweep up the Norwegian coast from Kristiansand to intercept enemy ships returning to Narvik. Members of ship’s companies from AURORA were transferred to increase the strength of COSSACK and MAORI as their own ratings were suffering from influenza.
15 February 1940
The Force, less HMS Penelope passed May Island at 0100 and proceeded at 17 knots via the Southern Limit of the Dummy Mine Field towards position K. Between 1030 and 1230 German floating mines type X or X+ were encountered and sunk. Captain Vian receives reports that Altmark has been sighted at 1600 on 14th February (Admiralty messages 2020/15 and 2314/15). Passing Bergen. (No firm information about the appearance of the Altmark (Launched 13 November 1937) was known other than a wardroom copy Illustrated London News which showed two ships with the caption ‘German raider Altmark examining a neutral merchant ship in the Atlantic’. It did not indicate which ship was Altmark!
16 February 1940
Just after midnight (0045/16) Admiral Forbes orders ships of Operation DT to intercept the German supply ship ALTMARK. Deployed with ARETHUSA, SIKH, NUBIAN, INTREPID and IVANHOE to search for the German prison ship ALTMARK. At 0700 in position 58° 03’N, 05° 15’E the trawler LIBIA was boarded by COSSACK. The vessel was wearing Dutch colours and markings. Her papers were found to be in order.
On 16th of February, at 08.25 hours, a flight of Lockhead Hudson aircraft, led by ‘K’ and crewed by Pilot Officer McNeil and Pilot Lawrie, L.A.C. Sheekey and Cpl.Hugill were to find the Altmark, identify her, take photographs, and pass information of Altmark’s position and direction as soon as possible, but not to attack. Pilot Officer McNeill has heard a signal from ‘F’ aircraft, telling of a vessel heading south; having been seen 15 miles north of the course of his flight and at 12.55 hours on seeing a dark shape ahead he made a wide sweep to view her from broadside. After this he then flew under the bows of the ship, where clearly painted was the name ‘Altmark’. (Position DVCT 2847) Realising that unless intercepted very quickly the ship would make her escape, he instructed (against wireless orders), Wireless Operator Sheekey to ‘bash’ a message out – ‘Enemy first sighting’. He felt sure that anyone interested in the Altmark would understand and take action.
At 12.50 hours on 16th February 1940 a wireless message was received giving the position of a ship thought to be the Altmark which had been spotted by an aircraft of Coastal Command
23 February 1940
Undocked from the Imperial Dock
COSSACK departed Methil with DELIGHT, DIANA, IMPERIAL, NUBIAN and SIKH to escort convoy ON 15 consisting of 2 British, 20 Norwegian, 6 Swedish, 3 Danish, 6 Finnish and 3 Estonian ships. They were joined by AURORA, CALCUTTA and PENELOPE.
CONVOY ON 15 – U.K.-Norway
| Left Methil on Febr. 23-1940 and arrived Norway on the 27th. |
| Received from Don Kindell – His source: The late Arnold Hague’s research. Stations are not known. |
| According to A. Hague, the following ships sailed in this convoy (in alphabetical order): Norwegian Annfinn* A document listing all the ON convoys states that ON 15 had a total of 40 ships – 2 British, 20 Norwegian, 6 Swedish, 3 Danish, 6 Finnish, 3 Estonian. 1 was not for Norway and was detached en route. * The Norwegian Annfinn is said to have hit a submerged object off Rattray Head and sank in Norwegian waters, having been hove to in a gale. She was later salvaged. Jan-Olof Hendig, Sweden has sent me a newspaper clipping about this incident (from Febr. 28-1940), which states that she collided with a U-boat, whose periscope was torn off, and which, it is claimed, may have sunk. Arnfinn developed a heavy leak, but they managed to keep her afloat with the help of the pumps until they were off Holmgengrå, at which time they found it best to take to the boats, as they were standing in water up to their waists. They were in 2 boats, which were separated in the bad weather, one reaching Tangenes, while the men in the other boat were picked up by a Danish vessel and later taken to Bergen. Arnfinn is said to have been still afloat and drifting northwards, and a salvage vessel has been sent out. I’m not sure which ship this could have been – there was an Arnfinn Jarl, but I don’t have a ship named Arnfinn. The article states she was 950 tons and had a complement of 14. She was on a voyage from Methil to Moss with coal when the the incident took place. All the Norwegian ships in this convoy, except Annfinn, are listed on this website – they can be reached via the Master Ship Index. Escorts: |
28 February 1940
COSSACK, DELIGHT, DIANA, NUBIAN and SIKH departed Bergen with convoy HN15 consisting of 8 British, 29 Norwegian, 1 Swedish, 2 Finnish and 2 Danish ships. The convoy split into East and West sections. COSSACK remained with the East section.
CONVOY HN 15 – Norway-U.K.
Left Norway on February 28-1940 and arrived Methil on March 1.
| Transcribed from Advance Sailing Telegram received from Tony Cooper, England – His source: Public Records Office, Kew. The Advance Sailing Telegram gives the sailing date as Febr. 26, arrival Methil Febr. 29 Convoy stations are not available. A document listing all the Norway-U.K. Convoys states that Convoy HN 15 left on Febr. 28 and arrived on March 1, adding that it consisted of 8 British, 29 Norwegian, 1 Swedish, 2 Danish, and 2 Finnish ships, for a total of 42, 8 of which were bound for the west coast. Note that there’s also a ship listed as Dutch in the Advance Sailing Telegram. | |||
| Ship | Nationality | Cargo | Destination |
| Vang | Norwegian | ballast (for bunkers) | Ayr |
| Svanefjell | “ | general | London |
| Porsanger | “ | ballast | Swansea |
| Finse | “ | ballast | Blyth |
| Tordenskjold | “ | ballast | Sunderland |
| Helmond | British | general (chrome, carbide, pulp) | Grangemouth |
| no name – 3106 gt | ? | ore | Birkenhead |
| Anna | Finnish | general | Hull |
| Gudrid | Norwegian | general | Manchester |
| Iris | “ | mail – passengers | Tyne |
| Cygnus | “ | general | Manchester |
| Grenaa | Danish | ballast | Methil |
| Ulv | Norwegian | pulp | Rouen |
| Fulton | “ | ballast | West Hartlepool |
| Pan | “ | pulp | Grimsby |
| no name – 1180 gt | ? | general | Antwerp |
| Diana | Norwegian | general | London |
| Ophir | “ | ballast | Sunderland |
| Gudrun | “ | ballast | Methil |
| Lysaker IV | “ | ballast | Dunstan From HN 14 |
| Bruse | “ | ballast | Sunderland From HN 14 |
| Ringhorn | “ | ballast | Burntisland From HN 14 |
| Bessheim | “ | passengers – mail | Tyne From HN 14 |
| Ask | “ | ore | Middlesbrough From HN 14 |
| Grana | “ | general | Hull From HN 14 |
| Ursa | “ | general | London From HN 14 |
| Edna | “ | fresh fish | Newcastle-on-Tyne From HN 14 |
| Cetus | “ | ballast | Blyth From HN 14 |
| Rona | “ | cod roes | Ardrossan From HN 14 |
| Jarl | “ | fresh fish | Aberdeen for bunkers |
| Standard | “ | pulp | Bristol |
| Batavia | Dutch | general | Newcastle-on-Tyne |
| Stensaas | Norwegian | ballast | Burntisland From HN 14 |
| Kronprins Olav | “ | pulp | Ellesmere Port (See also HN 14) |
| Island | “ | fresh fish | Aberdeen From HN 14 |
| Havnia | Finnish | general | London From HN 14 |
| Teano | British | general | Hull From HN 14 |
| Salerno | “ | general | Hull From HN 14 |
| Helder | ” (929 gt) | general | Grangemouth (See also HN 14) |
| No name | ? | general | Aberdeen |
| Otterpool | British | ore | Middlesbrough |
| Salmonpool | “ | ore | Middlesbrough |
| Hardingham | “ | ore | Immingham |
| Romanby | “ | ore | Cardiff |
| Bothnia | Swedish | general | London See also HN 14 |
| Vela | Norwegian | – | – |
| If we remove the un-named ships, we end up with 42 ships in the convoy. The above list agrees on the whole with a list of ships received from D. Kindell, based on Arnold Hague’s database, except A. Hague has not included Batavia (and he says Havnia was Norwegian) – in other words, he names 41 ships in this convoy. (He lists Batavia in the next convoy, HN 16, but she’s not included in the Advance Sailing Telegram for HN 16). | |||
| Escorts mentioned on this page: HMS Aurora, Penelope (covering force), Calcutta, Cossack, Diana, Nubian, Delight, Sikh, Imperial and Khartoum (most of which had also escorted Convoy ON 15 from the U.K. to Norway). See also the text under Febr. 26 and Febr. 28 on this external page, which mentions this convoy and its escorts. All the Norwegian ships mentioned in this convoy are discussed on this website, some are listed in the Homefleet section. The easiest way to find them all is via the Master Ship Index. |
07 March 1940
Departed Methil at 1700 in company of ECLIPS, ESCORT, ELECTRA and ENCOUNTER as escort to convoy ON 18 consisting of 10 British, 13 Norwegian, 12 Swedish, 2 Danish, 4 Finnish and 2 Estonian ships
CONVOY ON 18 – U.K.-Norway
| Left Methil on March 7-1940 and arrived Norway on the 10th. |
| Received from Don Kindell – His source: The late Arnold Hague’s research. Stations are not known. |
| According to A. Hague, the following ships sailed in this convoy (in alphabetical order): Swedish Agne A document listing all the ON convoys states that ON 18 had a total of 44 ships (incl. 10 joining from Kirkwall); 10 British, 13 Norwegian, 12 Swedish, 2 Danish, 4 Finnish, 2 Estonian, 1 Panamanian. 4 were detached for Scapa Flow, escorted by the destroyers Fameand Sikh. The 10 ships joining from Kirkwall were attacked by 3 Heinkels at 13:15 on March 8-1940. No damage was done by the 2 bombs dropped. Fighter aircraft were sent to assist the escort (see also my page about Convoys attacked by aircraft). A collision occurred between HMS Kelly (ON 18) and HMS Gurkha (HN 17). Both ships reached port. For information on the Norwegian ships in this convoy, see the Master Ship Index. Escorts: |
08 March 1940
Convoy ON 18 joined by KELLY and KANDAHAR relieving COSSACK who joined convoy HN17 escorted by DELIGHT, DIANA, GURKHA, ILEX and NUBIAN TO ESCORT 8 British, 19 Norwegian, 1 Danish and 1 Finnish ship from Bergen.
CONVOY HN 17 – Norway-U.K.
Left Norway on March 7-1940 and arrived Methil on March 10.
| Transcribed from Advance Sailing Telegram received from Tony Cooper, England – His source: Public Records Office, Kew. The Advance Sailing Telegram gives sailing date as March 5 (possibly from Narvik to Bergen?) – arrival Methil March 9. Convoy stations are not known. A document listing all the Norway-U.K. Convoys states that Convoy HN 17 had 8 British, 19 Norwegian, 1 Danish and 1 Finnish ship, for a total of 29, 5 of which were bound for the west coast. Iris of 1974 gt is also included in the Advance Sailing Telegram. However, I have a note saying that this ship did not sail so I’ve crossed her out. She later joined Convoy HN 19. | |||
| Ship | Nationality | Cargo | Destination |
| Warlaby | British | ore | Middlesbrough |
| Kirnwood* | “ | ore | Middlesbrough |
| Albuera | “ | ore | Middlesbrough |
| Baron Kelvin | “ | ore | Middlesbrough (See also HN 16) |
| Clarissa Radcliffe | “ | ore | Immingham |
| Royal | Norwegian | paper pulp | Granton |
| Havborg | “ | timber | Aberdeen |
| Ek | “ | general | Grangemouth |
| Bonde | “ | wood | Tyne |
| Stanja | “ | general | Bristol |
| Star | “ | general | Bristol |
| Janna | “ | general | Manchester |
| Ørland | “ | ballast | Tyne |
| Fairwater | British | ore | Middlesbrough |
| Scillonian | “ | ore | Immingham |
| Maurita | Norwegian | ballast | Blyth |
| Notos | “ | general | London |
| Nesttun | “ | pulp | London |
| Varegg | “ | ballast | Middlesbrough |
| Reiaas | “ | pulp | Rouen |
| Lysaker | “ | pit props | West Hartlepool |
| Effie Mærsk | Danish | ballast | Glasgow |
| Iris | Swedish | pulp | Ellesmere Port Listed in HN 19 |
| Ovington Court | British | ore | Middlesbrough (See also HN 16) |
| Hafnia | Norwegian | pulp | London (See also HN 16) |
| Gol | “ | ore | Tees |
| Vesta | “ | general | Le Havre (See also HN 16) |
| Jæderen | “ | ballast | Markworth Coquet Is. |
| Spica | “ | fresh fish | Newcastle |
| Einvik | “ | ballast | West Hartlepool |
| Margareta | Finnish | ore | Barrow-on-Furness |
| * This ship is listed as Kirkwood in the Advance Sailing Telegram. However, the tonnage is given as 3829 gt, which was the British Kirnwood (Kirkwood was 1561 gt). A list of ships received from Don Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague’s database, agrees on the whole with the above, but A. Hague has not included Clarissa Radcliffe and Scillonian in HN 17. | |||
| Notes: A collision occurred between HMS Kelly (from Convoy ON 18) and HMS Gurkha(HN 17). Both ships reached port. All the Norwegian ships mentioned in this convoy are discussed on this website, some are listed in the Homefleet section. The easiest way to find them all is via the Master Ship Index. Report on passage is not available. Escorts mentioned on this page: See also the text under March 7 on this external page (scroll down in the text), which mentions this convoy and its escorts (also mentioned under March 3). The page also has details on the collision between Kelly and Gurkha. |
11 March 1940
Departed Methil at 1500 in company of GURKHA, ILEX and NUBIAN as escorts to convoy ON19 consisting of 8 British, 14 Norwegian, 7 Swedish, 2 Danish, 5 Finnish and 4 Estonian ships bound for Norway. (One ship bound for Aberdeen). ILEX was relieved by FAULKNOR and FORTUNE.
CONVOY ON 19 – U.K.-Norway
| Left Methil on March 11-1940 and arrived Norway on the 14th. |
| Received from Don Kindell – His source: The late Arnold Hague’s research. Stations are not known. |
| According to A. Hague, the following ships sailed in this convoy (in alphabetical order): Norwegian Akabahra A document listing all the ON convoys (from the Public Records Office, Kew), states that Convoy ON 19 had 40 ships (incl. 13 joining from Kirkwall); 8 British, 14 Norwegian, 7 Swedish, 2 Danish, 5 Finnish, 4 Estonian. 1 was detached (not for Norway). For information on the Norwegian ships in this convoy, see the Master Ship Index. Escorts: |
14 March 1940
Convoy arrived safely at Bergen. Departs same day as escort to convoy HN 19 in company with EDINBURGH, CALCUTTA, NUBIAN, GURKHA, FALKNOR and FORTUNE.
CONVOY HN 19 – Norway-U.K.
Departed Norway on March 14-1940 and arrived Methil on March 17
| Transcribed from Advance Sailing Telegram received from Tony Cooper, England – His source: Public Records Office, Kew. Convoy stations are not known. A document listing all the Norway-U.K. Convoys states that Convoy HN 19 had 3 British, 16 Norwegian, 7 Swedish, 4 Finnish and 5 Estonian ships, for a total of 35, 15 of which were bound for the west coast, denoted (W) in the table below. | |||
| Ship | Nationality | Cargo | Destination |
| Crown Arun | British | pulp (W) | Ellesmere Port |
| Tore Jarl | Norwegian | ballast | Blyth |
| Ruth I | “ | ore (W) | Workington |
| Heien | “ | timber (W) | Liverpool |
| Mammy | “ | tin | Le Havre Listed in HN 20 |
| Evviva | “ | pulp | London |
| Skotfoss | “ | general (W) | Manchester |
| Iris | “ | passengers – fresh fish | North Shields |
| Inger | “ | ballast | Tyne |
| Granfoss | “ | general (W) | Manchester |
| Meggie | Swedish | paper (W) | Bristol |
| Ester Thordén | Finnish | general | London |
| Newton Ash* | British | ore | Middlesebrough |
| North Devon* | “ | ore (W) | Workington |
| Siak | Norwegian | ballast | Methil |
| Selvik | “ | pulp | Northfleet (Thames) |
| Kongshaug | “ | cod roes (W) | Sables d’Olonne |
| Themis | “ | paper | Aberdeen |
| Vim | “ | ballast | Tyne |
| Svanholm | “ | fresh fish | Newcastle |
| Ingeborg | Swedish | general | Leith |
| Brage | “ | timber (W) | Irvine (Ayrshire) |
| Iris | “ | pulp (W) | Ellesmere Port “should have sailed in HN 17“ |
| Olev | Estonian | telegraph poles (W) | Ellesmere Port |
| Sulev | “ | pulp (W) | Ellesmere Port |
| Kotka | Finnish | ballast | Tyne |
| Anneberg | “ | general (W) | Manchester Listed in HN 20 |
| Carolus* | “ | pulp | London |
| Tor | Swedish | butter – bacon | Hull |
| Saga | “ | general (W) | Glasgow |
| Taberg | “ | general | Hull |
| Solhavn | Norwegian | general (W) | Glasgow |
| Rapid II | “ | paper | Dundee |
| Kalev | Estonian | telegraph poles (W) | Newport |
| Margo | “ | general | Hull |
| Najaden | Finnish | general | London |
| Begonia | Estonian | pit props | Blyth |
| * Newton Ash, North Devon and Carolus joined from Ålesund. Comparing the above with a list of ships received from D. Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague’s database, I find that only the Norwegian Iris is included (cargo is given as pulp), not the Swedish ship by this name – both are listed in the Advance Sailing Telegram, the Swedish ship with a note saying “should have sailed in HN 17”. | |||
| Notes: All the Norwegian ships mentioned in this convoy are discussed on this website, some are listed in the Homefleet section. The easiest way to find them all is via the Master Ship Index. Report on passage is not available. Escorts mentioned on this page:
At 0824/16th, EDINBURGH made a submarine contact in 59-07N, 00-57W, southeast of Fair Isle, and she and COSSACK attacked the contact. At 1330/16th, COSSACK attacked a contact east of Duncansby Head in 58-36N, 1-35W.This contact had been earlier attacked by aircraft. At 2330, EDINBURGH made an attack off Tod Head in 56-54N, 2-13W. When the convoy split into two sections, FAULKNOR and FORTUNE escorted the west coast section of 15 ships to Cape Wrath where the convoy was dispersed. The destroyers arrived at Scapa Flow on the 17th at 0700. Destroyers FAULKNOR and FORESTER anchored in Longhope pending the clearance of Gutter Sound. The convoy of 20 ships arrived at Methil without incident on the 17th. COSSACK, NUBIAN and GURKHA arrived at Rosyth at 1700/17th. |
