23 February 1898

At sea. Bushire to Bandar Abbas.

Bandar Abbas or Bandar-e ‘Abbās is a port city and capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Strait of Hormuz,

Course S14E at 9 knots with smooth sea. Wind SW force 1 with blue sky. Barometer 30.19 inches increasing to 30.24 at 0800 before falling back to 30.19 at 1600 and finishing at 30.22 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 70F. 0150. Stopped. Cast deep sea lead – 30 fathoms.  1400. Proceeded. 0330. Altered course to S65E. 0340. Stopped. Sounded in 35 fathoms. 0350. Proceeded. 0525. Sighted land on port bow. 0900. Divisions. Read prayers. Inspected small arms.  Exercised Small Arms Company. Ordinary Seamen and Boys at seamanship instruction. Marines at 6 inch breech loader gun drill. Remainder of hands employed as requisite. Noon. Position 27.1N. 52.28E. Wind light with broken cloud. 1700. Quarters. 1715. Exercised Fire and collision stations. Exercised Man overboard. 1800. Altered course to S58E. 2100. Exercised seaboat’s crews. 2300. Close watertight doors. Double lookout. Leadsmen in both chains.  Midnight. Altered course to N85E. Coal expended 21 tons 8 cwt. Number on sick list 6.

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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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