17 October 1889

At anchor off Mbroakuni Reef (?). Wind S by E force 1with broken cloud. Barometer 30.20 inches falling to 30.14 at 1600 before finishing at 30.22 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 82F. 0545. Weighed –. 0600. Exercised at General Quarters. Firing – Annual Prize firing at target. Steaming and steering as necessary. 0900. German corvette Corola passed heading for Bagarraya (?) 100. Finished Prize Firing. Fired remainder of quarterly ammunition.

Expended ammunition. 

48 x Cartridges S.C. 6 inch breech loader 21 lbs.
48 x Short Pallister 6 inch Breech load 21 lbs.
64 x Cartridge 3 pounder quick fire common shell
16 x Cartridge 3 pounder quick fire steel shell

1100. Observed HMS Pigeon to starboard. Noon. Wind SSE force. Picked up marker buoys. Lost by accident one mooring buoy. Noon position. Off Mbroakuni. Reef (?). 1225. Came to in 11 fathoms and veered to 3 shackles.14.30. HMS Pigeon anchored. 1530. Weighed. 1545. Proceeded for Zanzibar. Wind E by S force 3 to 5. 1715. Mustered at Quarters. 1800. Made number to HMS Boadicea. 1850. Came to off Zanzibar in q

12 fathoms and veered to 2 ½ shackles. Banked fires. Found here HMS Boadicea, MARINER, STORK, Transport SAMALE and French sloop Bouret. Anchorage bearings. Ras Shangani.S15E. Clock tower S70E magnetic. Coal expended 10 tons 6 cwt. Number on sick list 12.

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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.

Anchor crest

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