26 February 1897

At single anchor standing by RMS Orotava Reef. Wind SE force 5 to 8 with broken clouds and squalls.
Heavy and confused seas. Barometer 30.09 inches rising to 30.16 at

0800 and then falling to 30.10 at 1600 before finishing at midnight at 30.16 inches. Temperature at noon 79F.
0200. Exercised seaboat’s crews.
0810. Fired Breech load blank to port. RMS Orient closed and communicated.
0930. Day break.
0915. Mustered by Divisions and read prayers. 100. Shortened to 8 shackles.
1005. Let go RMS Orotava under fort. Ordinary Seamen and boys at seamanship. Remainder of Ship’s Company as requisite. Noon. RIMS Minto arrived and anchored.N41E. Wind SE force 4 to 7.
1330. Ordinary Seamen and boys at communications. Remainder as requisite. Weighed and catted stream anchor.
15.15. Buoyed and slipped RMS Orotava’s hawser.
1550. Shortened to 3 shackles.
1600. Weighed.
1610 Proceeded as required E by S.
1630. 65 revolutions S42E.
1700. Put over P log.
1735. Rahaita abeam. (Rahayta, also spelled Rahaita, is a town in the Southern Red Sea region of Eritrea)
1820. Peruin Light S52E. Altered course to S39E.
2000. Altered course as required for entering Peruin.
2035. Course S60E.
2100. Exercised seaboat’s crews and watch closing watertight doors.
2220. Course S55E sounded Thompson machine – 33 fathoms.
2340. Lost sight of Peruin Light.

Thompson sounding machine

Coal expended 11 tons 17 cwt. Number on sick list 4.

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE