25 February 1889

Jeddah to Aden. Position at noon 12.28N 44.43E. Course SE 2 Knots. Wind SE force 3 to 4 with broken cloud. Barometer 29.82 inches rising to 29.90 at midnight. Temperature at noon 80F. 0045. Shaped course to SE. Lost by fouling screw propeller one lead hand line of 20 fathoms.. 0400. Altered course to E by S. Exercised at General Quarters. Fired blank cartridges. 0740. Eased to “slow” 6 knots. 0750. Over target. Exercised at General Quarters. 0900. Found target. 0940 Picked up target. 1000. Course NE ¾ E 2.5 knots. Cleaning ship as required. 1130 Observed land NE by E. 1230. Altered course to NE ¾ E. 5.5 knots.  1310 increased to 100 revolutions.1350. Altered course to E by N. 1500. Made number to HMS Osprey. 1530 Stopped and came to in Aden Harbour. Broken bottom with 3 ½ fathoms. Veered to 2 ½ shackles. Secured stern to buoy with wire hawser. Let fires die out. Found here HMS Osprey and Russian sloop Nauncljous. Draught forward 12 feet. Aft 15 feet 5 inches. Expended Cartridge SC 6 inch 21lbs 30 in number. Cartridge Quick Firing 3 pounder shell 22 in number. Cartridge Quick firing Steel shell 10 in number. Shot palleses 6 inch BL 12 in number. Shell shrapnel 6 inch 6 in number. Fuzes middle 6 in number tubes 40 in number. Coal expended 14 tons 8 cwt. 8 persons on sick list.

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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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