08 May 1900

Malta to Port Said. Course S66E at 10.2 knots. Wind north force 1 to 2 with broken cloud and smooth sea. Barometer 30.03 inches rising to 30.11 at 0800 and to 30.20 at 1600 before falling to 30.17 at 2000 and finishing at 30.10 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 64F.  0730. Divisions. Took in dirty hammocks. Put clock on 8 minutes. 0800. Wind north force 1 with blue sky. Marines mustered bags. 0915. Exercised Small Arms Company in full marching order. 1017. Connect up conning tower wheel. 1018.Connected up. 1029. Connect up steam engineering wheel. 1030. Connected. 1030. Connecting after bridge wheel. 1043. Connected up. 1043. Clock on 8 minutes. Noon. Position 32.38N 27.43E. Course S66E at 12.9 knots. Wind south force 1 with blue sky.  Alexandra S53E at 136 miles.  1305. Altered course to S67E. Lost by accident ½ print (?) feeder and pisaba brush.

Pisaba Brush – Gun barrel cleaning device made with bristles from a type of palm frond.

Make and mend clothes. 1600. Wind light airs with blue sky. Evening Quarters. Hauled in Patent log. 1615. Stopped. Sent away both lifeboats.1630. Picked up sea boats. 16.38. Proceeded on S67E at 87 revolutions. Put over Patent log. 2000. Wind calm with blue sky. 2250. Put clocks on 9 minutes. Re-stowing 8 pounder magazine.  Coal expended 25 tons 10 cwt. (includes Distilling). Number on sick list Nil.

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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.

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