25 March 1940

COSSACK departed Scapa Flow at 0700 in company with  ESKIMO and PUNJABI to search area 61N  to 60 N, 2W  to 4W

U.47 at 0600 sank Danish steamer BRITTA (1146grt) in 60‑00N, 04‑19W, off Sule Skerry. Five survivors were picked up by Danish steamer NANCY (1153grt) which was in company, but thirteen crew went missing.

Destroyers ELECTRA and ENCOUNTER, returning to Scapa Flow, proceeded to the location and ELECTRA stood by the rescue area. At 1241, ELECTRA and ENCOUNTER were ordered to return to Scapa Flow where they arrived at 1830. Destroyers HOTSPUR and HERO from Sullom Voe and SOMALI, MATABELE, FAME, FORESIGHT, SIKH, FOXHOUND from anti-submarine operations east of the Orkneys were sent to the area. Destroyers COSSACK (D.4), ESKIMO, PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 0700. The wreckage of BRITTA was later found eighteen miles from the reported position.

In anti-submarine operations on 25 and 26 March, COSSACK, SIKH, FOXHOUND, HOTSPUR, HERO were searching in the area 61N to 60N, 2W to 4W. They were joined by destroyer NUBIAN after escorting submarine TRIBUNE and destroyer FIREDRAKE after repairs from destroyer depot ship WOOLWICH. Destroyer FIREDRAKE was then ordered to join destroyers ICARUS and IVANHOE and the anti-submarine trawlers on the Moray Firth patrol. In anti-submarine operations on 25 and 26 March, destroyers SOMALI (D.6), ESKIMO, PUNJABI searched the eastern half of a patrol area from 60N to 59N, 3W to 5W. MATABELE, FAME, FORESIGHT searched the western half of this area.

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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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