27 July 1900

At sea. Course to Rhur al Hajar (?) Course S44E at 7.6 knots. Wind ESE force 1 to 2 with blue sky and smooth sea. Barometer 29.71inches at 0400 rising to 29.80 at 0800 before falling to 29.73 at noon and to 29.68 inches at 1600 where it stayed to midnight. Temperature at noon 82F. 0530. Rigged target. Cleaning ship. 0700. Altered course to S29E. 0930. Hauled in Patent log. Eased to slow. 0940. Stopped Lowered gig. 0942. Proceeded as requisite 0955. Out target. 1030. Carried out half quarterly firing and short-range practice at target. Four rounds of Three Pounder ammunition expended. Noon. Finished firing. Wind SE force 3 with broken cloud. 1210. Picked up target. Proceeded for anchorage. 1415.  Stopped. Let go port anchor in 15 fathoms. 1420. Let go starboard anchor in 14 ½ fathoms. 1550. Ship moored on 3/3 bent sheet cable. (Three anchor bearings are given but the handwriting is difficult to read).

Foraina Beacon (?) S85W. Extreme point Rhur al Hajar (?) S26E. Extreme point Phor al Hagan (?) S26E. 1600. Evening Quarters. Ordinary Seamen and Boys at physical drill. Scrubbed and washed clothes. 1900. Completed distilling. Coal expended 11 tons. Number on sick list 7.

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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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