22 March 1889

At single anchor. Position at noon 3.19S 40.15E. Draught of water forward 13 feet 5 inches. Aft 15 feet 4 inches. Wind SE force 2 with broken cloud. Barometer 29.76 rising to 29.80 at 0800 before falling to 29.75 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 87F. 0615. Observes HMS Algerine in offing. 0740. Weighed and proceeded out of anchorage. 0815 Stopped and communicated with ALGERINE by boat 0850. Shaped to SW by S ½ S at 3.2 knots.

0915 mustered by Divisions and read prayers. 1000. Exercised at General Quarters. 1110. Shaped to SSW. 1300. Altered course to SW by W ¼ W at 6.8 knots. 1415. Exchanged number with HMS Penguin standing to northward. Employed scrubbing canvas and as requisite. 1730 Stopped and came to at Kilifi with sandy bottom I n8 fathoms and veered to 2 shackles’. Banked fires. Steam cutter and gig returned. Bearings at anchorage. Bluff 120 feet S32W Bushy inlet. S83E – magnetic. Vasco de Gamas Pillar N35W 8 miles.

Coal expended 9 tons 17 cwt.

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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