21 May 1869

Latitude 16.56S Longitude 41.53E. Course N by E ½ E. Wind SE Force 2. Johanna Isle bearing N29E 322 miles.

0740 Braced round on Starboard tack. Up weather clew of mainsail. Set lee clew of mainsail and Starboard Stud sail.

1140 Trimmed and set lower Stud sails.

1230 course NE by N. Training party at drill. Boys of watch at seamanship.

1650 Mustered at Quarters. In lower Stud sails. Trimmed Singled tacks and sheets. Latitude by Centauri 16.26S. (Centauri is the name given to what appears as a single star to the naked eye and the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus.).

2340 Shortened sail to Topsails, Top gallant sails, Jib and Foretop staysail.

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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