1 August 1949

Recollection of PO Norman Buck

We were on our way back to Whampoa entrance and at the end of August HMS Amethyst managed to escape the Chinese. Having secretly got fuel for her engines and wrapped the cable in cloths soaked oil to keep the noise down, she slipped away without being seen. It was a cold night and no moon. HMS Cossack was inside the entrance waiting for her. It was about 0300 when I was told to get my hawsers out on the quarterdeck in case she broke down and had to be towed. She didn’t have much oil or engine power.

The Chinese were alerted before Amethyst got to the entrance and they had 9-inch guns on the forts. I stood on the quarterdeck and watched the Chinese sink one of their own ferries crossing the river. It was set alight and eventually sank. We escorted Amethyst back to Hong Kong with a cruiser joining us. It was quite a scene with all ships and their sirens greeting her. What a sight! I felt very proud to be British. Amethyst’s ship’s company all got 11 days leave.

HMS AMETHYST crossing astern of HMS COSSACK

No actual dates for the following.

Yokasuka

Sasebo

Kure

Kagoshima

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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