1944-1960

COSSACK was informed the CCRAK Arlene would arrive at Yang do at 1800 that day, from Yo do (Wonsan). Later this was amended to the 13^th. Not being sighted that day enquiries led to a reply that she would sail at 0830 and arrive at 2130. At 1600 COSSACK proceeded to the southwest in an attempt to contact her before dark. There was thick fog but a vessel was soon picked up by radar which proved to be another CCRAK ship – the Sea Turtle – also on her way to Yang do. Nothing had been known about this ship. The COSSACK searched some 45 45 miles to the southwest but failed to find the elusive Arlene. Eventually USS Wiltsie reported at 0130 on the 14^th that she had picked up the crew of the ARLENE.  They had abandoned ship after running ashore at 2115 on 12^th June – some nine hours before she had left Yo do! This discrepancy has never been cleared up.

30 June – 15 July        West Coast Korean Patrol During the first three weeks of July a considerable number of bombardments were carried out by UN forces including COSSACK who on 13 July approached to within 2800 yards of the gun caves on the north of Wolsa-ri pensinesula at first light. Complete surprise was achieved and major damage was inflicted

Early in July 1953, a US LST on a cargo lifting mission on the West Coast of Korea, struck an underwater object causing herself considerable damage. As the LST was some distance from any known obstruction, HMS Cossack was asked by the Senior Officer present to investigate the grounding. After a conference with the officers of the LST to establish the exact position of the accident, the Squadron Navigating Officer directed a sweeping operation. This was carried out by securing one end of the ships bottom line to our motor boat, and the other end to a US DUKW, then dragging the line along the sea bed until its progress was impeded through fouling an object. In this way, two obstructions were found and buoyed, and 28 it was decided that they should be investigated more closely by the diving team of HMS Cossack. Mirabile dictu, they were given the second motor boat and carte blanche. The first obstruction was dived on by Mr King – and proved to be a rocky ledge about 40 feet wide. This was further surveyed by POSM Bond, who could find no signs of violent contact with a ship, after which the diving boat was moved to the second obstruction. By this time, it was getting dark, but there was just time and enough light for PO Bond to establish that it was an ancient wreck. The tidal stream in these parts runs at a fair pace – some 5 knots – and diving is practicable only about 30 minutes either side of slack water. The party called it a day and, about 2030, returned to the ship to prepare for the morrow. Meanwhile, Cossack’s “Historical Research Unit” – consisting of anyone who could be spared for the job – had been searching through the archives carried on board, and had discovered that a Japanese inter-island freighter of 400 tons had been sunk in the vicinity of our “underwater obstruction “in 1943, and, to the delight of the TAS party and divers, permission was given to destroy the wreck with explosives. At daylight the next day, the divers went away to survey the wreck. L. Sea. Kay, AB Kendall and TAS8, dived on the wreck which was lying in five and a half fathoms, the limit for the equipment in use. It was barely recognisable as a ship, being broken in two and lying on its side, but the divers were able to walk along the longitudinal frames and could see sufficient to enable them to lay the explosive. Multitudes of fish – codling, starfish, oddfish, and one octopus – caused considerable speculation as to the weight of the haul to be expected. A wire pennant was shackled to the wreck and after dinner the wreck disposal team, consisting of Mr King, CPO Bone, LS Howe, ABs Lane, Dunn, Leach and the Squadron TAS Officer, went away with a depth charge hanging over the stern of the motorboat and most of the Chief Buffer’s caboosh lying in the stern sheets. The fitting and lowering of the depth charge was accomplished by seven bells and, proceeding dead slow, the motorboat then headed inshore paying out the firing cable which was taken to a small rocky island about two and a half cables away. After warning the ship by “walkie-talkie” which had been used throughout to keep the ship informed of progress and after telling a large South Korean naval vessel what to expect, the “Big Lift” was fired by the Commissioned Gunner TAS. A noble BANG! The water had hardly subsided before the boat was manned again and headed out to recover the pickings. ABs Crawford and Lane between them picked up 80 pounds of codling, one eel, two poisonous fish, together with the remnants of two moorings, whilst SM Johnstone, the “driver” of the motorboat drove it like a dodgem, as it was manoeuvred towards each prize. By this stage in the operation, the oxygen bottles were running out of lbs. per sq. inch and although it was possible to recharge them again later the opportunity to survey the results of the explosion itself never came. However, a US minesweeper swept over the area, at our request, and confirmed that no obstruction existed. All this was done within sight and sound of the Korean coast and well behind the Communist’s front line but the only comment our sailors made was “Not such a good haul of fish is it?”