| HMS COSSACK (October 21, 1941)
The fifth of the Tribal Class British destroyers to bear this name, famous for its rescue of prisoners from the German ship Altmark in Jossing Fjord, Norway, on February 16, 1940. While escorting a convoy from Gibraltar to Britain the Cossack (1,959 tons) was hit by a torpedo from the German U-boat U-563 The explosion blew off the bow and forward section of the ship killing 159 officers and ratings. Still afloat, the vessel was taken in tow stern first by a tug from Gibraltar but bad weather caused the tow to be slipped and the Cossack sank soon after.
Some survivors were rescued by the escorts HMS Legion and HMS Carnation and taken to Leith, Scotland. (The Altmark was later converted to a tanker under the name Uckermark and while anchored in the harbour at Yokohama, Japan, sank after a huge explosion ripped the vessel apart while the crew were having lunch. Cause of the explosion was thought to be a spark from tools used by a repair gang working near the fuel tanks. Forty-three crewmen from the Uckermark died).
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On weald of Kent I watched once more
Again I heard that grumbling roar
Of fighter planes; yet none were near
And all around the sky was clear
Borne on the wind a whisper came
'Though men grow old, they stay the same'
And then I knew, unseen to eye
The ageless Few were sweeping by
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