18 December 1897

In Government Dry Dock Calcutta. Wind north force 1 becoming NW force 2 at 1600 followed by calm at 2000. Broken cloud. Barometer 30.07 inches rising to 30.14 at noon and finishing at 30.12 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 74F. 0200. Received 120 lbs of beef and 60 lbs of vegetables plus 213 lbs of bread. 0400. Preparing for undocking. 0645. Floated ship. Draught 12 feet 6 inches forward. 16 feet aft. 0750. Undocked ship. Hauled out of Kidderpore docks. 0920. Proceeded under steam as required up Garden Reach in charge of Assistant Harbour Master.1130. Stopped. Made fast to buoys ahead and astern of ship with woven cables. One on each forward and two on each aft alongside –au—(?) Cannot read handwriting. Let fires die out in number 3 boiler. Distilling with number 4 boiler. Cleaning ship. Special leave to port watch. 1700. Quarters. Position Fort Williams Time Ball Tower S10W magnetic. Coal expended 8 cwt. Number on sick list 6.

Fort William is a fort in Calcutta, built during the early years of the Bengal Presidency of British India. It sits on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly, the major distributary of the River Ganges. One of Kolkata’s most enduring Raj-era edifices, it extends over an area of 70.9 hectares

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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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