1944-1960

4-9 September     Sasbo

Extract from a letter sent home by Captain Begg. ” Sasebo. We had a very strenuous and interesting patrol last time and now four days in harbour and are off again tomorrow. The armistice talks seem definitely to have tumbled and now people are talking of a blow up at San Francisco – what a world!….. R says the coal situation at Henley is very bad. I hope you haven’t used up all your stocks and are now caught short.

By kind permission of Peter Begg

COSSACK relieves BELFAST as C.T.E.95.12

COSSACK and BELFAST off the entrance to the Rivers Yalu and Chorusan. COSSACK was detached to bombard a gun position on the Chorusan peninsula. Fire was opened on both BELFAST and COSSACK but was speedily silenced.  No enemy positions had been attacked by UN ships’ gunfire so far north on the west coast.

LEOPARD reports about 200 Chinese Communists had ejected friendly forces from the island of Wolto (39^o 42^’ N 124^o 35^’ E) west of Chorasan Peninsula. COSSACK proceeded at once to the position and bombarded the island and positions on the adjacent mainland.

20-24 September.  West Coast Korea. Bombarded Haeju, Choppeki, Choda area and Yala Estuary. Escorted UNICORN back to Sasebo

24-30 Septembe.  Kure

Extract from a letter sent home by Captain Begg. “Kure. We got in today after a long and strenuous patrol but an active and interesting one too, so can’t complain…. You seem to be very busy in the bottling and jam making world. I wish I was at home to be stacking them on the shelves and counting them like an old miser!.”

By kind permission of Peter Begg

COSSACK takes over C.T.E. 95.12 and for some days, apart from the ships in the Han Estuary, was the only ship in the element.

Cossack bombarded in the Choda area and patrolled in the Haeju-Hwanghae – Inchon area.

Joined by HMS Amethyst.

Extract from a leter sent home by Captain Begg. “At sea. We are back on our west coast again up to our usual ploys acting as maids of all work – bombarding, escorting, patrolling, supporting guerrillas, acting as “express deliveries” for people and goods, mail delivers, scouts, intellligece and anything else anyone can think of to tell to do it! It is a full life but interesting and it makes the time pass quickly…..The election seems a bore and I only hope it does n…

Joined by HMS Ceylon. HMS Alert joined for a few days to carry out bombardments before leaving on the 11 October.

Covered by COSSACK 800 guerrillas landed on the eastern side of Sinmi do (8 miles long by four miles wide) to fight the Communists. COSSACK remained until daylight when success seemed assured and she left for Sasebo.

10-14 October.   West Coast Korea. Bombarded Haeju, Choppeki and Yalu areas.  Supported invasion of Sinmi Do. Fired on by shore batteries.  Received two oxen for services rendered.

Rode out Typhoon RUTH at Sasebo

Extract from a letter sent home by Captain Begg. “Sasebo. We have had fortnight’s very strenuous patrolling during which there were no opportunities of getting letters back”

By kind permission of Peter Begg.

Sailed for Hong Kong flying paying off pendant.

Extract from a letter sent home by Captain Begg. ” Hong Kong. …..getting the old ship’s company packed up and ready to go, preparing for the new one (which arrives Tuesday next), getting the ship ready for refit (which means de-ammunitioing, de-storing, de -provisioning and so on ) and the  incessant invitations for social and service functions all combine to make life hectic and not at all to my satisfaction!….. I dined with one watch of my old ship’s company last…

Chinese launch attack against Donkey 13 on Tan-do.  Tan-do falls.  Survivors retreat to T’an-do.