HMS Cossack (F03) was a British destroyer from the interwar period and World War II. The keel for this unit was laid in 1936, and the launch took place in June 1937. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 115 meters and a width of 11.13 meters. Full displacement reached approx. 2,500 tons, and the maximum speed was approx. 36 knots. The armament at the time of launching consisted of, among other things, four twin 120 mm guns, a 40 mm gun and a quadruple 533 mm torpedo tube.
HMS Cossack was one of the Tribal-class destroyers (another name: Afridi-class). These types of ships were initially designed as light cruisers and only later developed as destroyers. Units of this type were characterized by a relatively high displacement, they also emphasized strong artillery at the expense of - for example - limited torpedo armament. They were also characterized by good maximum speed and high seaworthiness. Later they also received ASDICs, which significantly increased their anti-submarine anti-submarine (ZOP) capabilities. They are quite commonly considered successful units with high combat value. HMS Cossack during World War II took part in the so-called the Altmark incident in the waters of Norway, and later - in April 1940 - fought in the Narvik area. In May, HMS Cossack participated in the tracking down and sinking of the battleship Bismarck. The destroyer was sunk by the German submarine U-563 on October 23, 1941 during the cover of the convoy sailing from Gibraltar to Great Britain.
HMS Lance (G87) was a British WWII destroyer. The keel for this unit was laid in 1939, and the launch took place in November 1940. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 110.5 meters and a width of 11.2 meters. The displacement reached approx. 1,900 tons, and the maximum speed was approx. 36 knots. The armament at the time of the launch consisted of eight 102 mm guns in four twin turrets, one 40 mm gun and eight 533 mm torpedo tubes.
HMS Lance was one of the eight L-class destroyers (often referred to as the L / M-class). However, along with two other destroyers, it was a peculiar subtype within that class. HMS Lance was relatively heavily armed with anti-aircraft artillery, and at the same time had relatively strong artillery armament. It had - in relation to other L-class destroyers - a changed shape of the fore superstructure and a part of the aft superstructure. HMS Lance had a short but turbulent combat trail. In May 1941, the ship participated in the tracking down and sinking of the battleship Bismarck. Later, he covered convoys on the route Great Britain - Gibraltar, and in October 1941 he was transferred to Malta and joined the so-called Force K, where he successfully takes part in numerous actions against the Italian Regia Marina. In January 1942, he sheltered one of the British convoys sailing in the Mediterranean Sea. The unit was seriously damaged as a result of Italian air raids on Malta in April 1942. The unit was later towed to Great Britain, but after learning about the damage on the ship, it was decided to dismantle it and from 1944 the ship was gradually scrapped.