During Warship Week in February 1942, Esher raised £1,192,211, which helped to build a warship, ‘HMS Cossack’. This was done by the public throwing money in to a rubber type float in a pool. (There was sufficient money left over to buy a submarine as well).

The story continues.

HMS COSSACK (ii) (R57)

Ships Company

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Rank: Leading coder
When Allotted: 1958

Remarks: Born 11 October 1938. Died 2 February 2022.

Rank: Able Seaman
When Allotted: 1954

Remarks: Quarterdeck Football Team 1954/55

Rank: Lt Cdr
When Allotted: Aug 1952

Remarks: Joined RN at Dartmouth aged 13.
Home Fleet
Norwegian campaign & East coast convoys
Mediterranean – Battle of Calabria 9.7.40

For passage to Gibraltar. Battle of Spartivento 27.11.40
Courses at Portsmouth
Western Approaches. Sinking of U-652
Western Approaches. Survivors of U-527 and Focke Wulf 200
USA
Home Fleet & D-day Normandy
Qualified as Torpedo Officer
Instructional staff
Mediterranean. Palestine Patrol. Corfu Channel Incident
Instructional staff- Tactics
Qualified as A/S Officer
Staff of F.O.C. Reserve Fleet

TAS Officer. Far East. Korean War
Passage to UK
Training Staff
Staff of Royal Danish Navy
Directing Staff
Staff Officer Operations to C-in C South Africa & S. Atlantic
In command
In command
In command
Naval Deputy to UK Nat. Rep. SHAPE (Paris)
In command
Retired at own request
Died 2 April 2007 aged 82

Rank: Able Seaman
When Allotted: 1957
Rank: Able Seaman (LTO)
When Allotted: 1945
Pay Book Number: D/JX908686
Rank: Leading Signalman.
When Allotted: 1957

Remarks: Joined RN 1951 and left 1958 as Yeoman of Signals. Living in South Australia (2012)

Pay Book Number: 924769
Rank: Able Seaman
When Allotted: 1953 1955

Remarks: Joined RN 1953 and left 1957. Died 19 July 2021.

Rank: Able Seaman (RP3)
When Allotted: 1950

Remarks: No 1 Mess.
Died 9 December 2001

Rank: SCPO (S)
When Allotted: 1957
When Allotted: 1947

Remarks: Electrical Officer

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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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