Co-Class
Fleet Destroyer ordered from
Vickers-Armstrong, Newcastle on 12th Sept.
1942 as the 7th RN warship to bear the name
and to ensure the distinguished service of her
immediate predecessor during WW2 would be kept
in the Public eye. She was laid down on 18th
March 1943 and launched on 10th May 1944. He
final completion was delayed until 4th
September 1945 due to problems associated with
the design and the manufacture of the
fire-control system for her main armament.
S
u m m a r y o f
S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information, go
to
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and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 4 5
August
Contractors trials and commissioning
September
Commenced Acceptance Trials
Nominated for service with 6th Destroyer
Flotilla, British Pacific Fleet
as Senior Officer’s ship. Pennant Number
changed to D57 after VJ Day.
October
Passage to join British Pacific Fleet
to
December Joined
Flotilla for service in Far East as Senior
Officer’s ship of 6th
Destroyer Flotilla,
(Note: During this period RN warships were
involved in support of
military operations in the Dutch East Indies
where insurgent
forces
were opposed to the return of Dutch colonial
rule. In
this area very extensive movement of returning
civilians
imprisoned
after the Japanese occupation took place under
RN supervision for passage to Singapore.
The re-occupation of Indo-China
and guardship
duties in Japan
were other events affecting Fleet
deployments. In addition a
patrol was maintained off Chinese
ports to protect British
flagged mercantiles which were
subject to attacks by both
Nationalist
and Communist forces during the ongoing civil
war.
British Pacific Fleet was to be
based in Hong Kong pending the
restoration of facilities at
Singapore.
1
9 4 6 t o 1 9 4 7
Deployed with Flotilla for fleet and flotilla
exercises and Far East
Station visits programmes.
(Note: British Pacific Fleet
headquarters moved to Hong Kong from
Sydney, Australia and later transferred to
Singapore.
Deployments
in Japan and support of military operations
in Dutch East Indies also continued with other
activities
in Indo China. each demanding an RN presence.
1 9 4
7 to 1 9 4 9
Flotilla deployment in Far East continued.
(Note: RN base at Singapore available
for refits and docking.
Japan guardship
requirement continued with patrol for
protection of shipping in Formosa
Strait
Deployments
in support of operations against Communist
terrorists
in Malaya began and RN ships provided gunfire
support.
1 9 5
0 t o 1 9 5 3
Deployed with ships of Flotilla for service
with United Nations
naval task force after outbreak of war in
Korea.
(Note: Ships on Far East Station were deployed
with Commonwealth
warships in Korean waters on a regular basis
after June and
provided gunfire support and for safe passage
of shipping.
Formosa Strait patrol and guardship
was maintained..
Support of operations in Malaya
continued throughout this
period as well as Fleet and Flotilla
exercises.
1
9 5 4 t o 1 9 5 8
Flotilla duties in Far East in continuation.
(Note:
After end of hostilities in Korea an RN
presence was
continued
for UN service off east Coast of Korea and
in addition exercises were carried out with UN
ships
off Japan. These included US Navy and ships of
the
RAN, RNZN and R Netherlands Navy. Similar
exercises
were carried out with USN based in the
Philippines.
Other exercises were carried out with SEATO
nations
in Indian Ocean. Visits programme was
significantly
extended and some ships visited ports in
Australia and
New Zealand.
Far East Station ships were involved in the
atomic weapon
tests at Montebello and the H Bomb tests at
Christmas
Island during this period.
There were Royal Visits to Hong Kong and
Singapore
for which ships on station played their part.
1
9 5 9
Nominated for return to UK to Pay-off and
reduce to Reserve status
after 14 years continuous service on the Far
East Station..
November
Passage to UK from Singapore
to
December Reduced
to Reserve at Devonport after de-storing and
paying-off.
F
i n a
l P h a s e
HMS
COSSACK (ii) was placed on the Disposal List
in 1960 and sold to BISCO for demolition. The
ship was towed to Troon
for breaking-up by the West of Scotland Shipbreaking
Co. and arrived there to be broken-up on 1st
March 1961