28 March 1869

Latitude 30.49S Longitude 14.45W. Course easterly. Wind NNE changing to south at midnight. Force 3 to 5.

0725. Set lee clew on Main sail, Royals, port topsail and Top gallant stud sails.

0945. Mustered by Open List.

Open List

‘One of a ship’s books, which contains the whole of the names of the actual officers and crew, in order to regulate their victualling. The crew are mustered by the open list.’

It appears this practice involved each crew member publically coming forward and stating their details (name, rank etc) which would then be listed and this used as the basis for musters going forward. This was apparently an attempt to prevent corruption in that those in charge of pay or victuals on board a ship may try to list non-existent crewmen and then keep their ‘pay’ for themselves.

1000.Performed Divine service.

1225. Course ESE.

1450. In Royals and Top gallant stud sails.

1510. In top Stud sails and up Mainsail. Braced forward on starboard tack.

1650. Double reefed Topsails.

1700. Set mainsails

1850. Trimmed sails.

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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