NIRFrance to England, finishing near Folkestone
Sources disagree
Qualification · CS&PF and Cossum's anniversary interview support a 31 July 1970 start. Tower Museum dates the swim to 1 August, and CSA's obituary says 1971. The recorded time is 13:41.
Recorded swim date · Friday, 31 July 1970 · Start or finish date not specified by this field
Elapsed swim time · 13h 41m 0s
Duration of the complete swim
Started · Friday, 31 July 1970 · 17:15:00 · Departure clock in the CS&PF historical record. Derry Now identifies 31 July as the day he set off.
Finished · Exact finish date not confirmed · Clock time not confirmed
Timing note · CS&PF prints 17:15:00 departure and 06:56:00 arrival. Derry Now expressly places departure on 31 July 1970, but its later description also associates the landing with 31 July. Tower Museum dates the swim to 1 August without identifying the phase. The arrival's calendar date and both clocks' time standard remain unconfirmed.
Format · Solo · 1-way
Direction · France → England
Arrival · Near Folkestone, England
Pilot / piloting team · H. Reed
Escort vessel · Accord
Official observers · M. Morford
Ratification / historical recognition · Channel Swimming Association, as reported by CS&PF
How this record was checked
CS&PF historical individual record 443015 matches Raymond Cossum, UK [Northern Ireland], age 38, one way from France to England, 31 July 1970, 13:41:00 and named crew. It attributes ratification to CSA. ILDSA concurs on 1970 and 13:41. Tower Museum gives 1 August 1970 and CSA's 2022 obituary gives 1971. No separate result is established by the obituary.
CS&PF historical record — Raymond Cossum, 31 July 1970
Checked 2026-10-31
Supports · Record 443015 gives the nationality as UK [Northern Ireland], age 38, the generic date 31 July 1970, one way from France to England in 13:41:00, departure 17:15:00 and arrival 06:56:00. It credits pilot H. Reed, Accord and observer M. Morford.
Limitations · The entry attributes ratification to CSA and gives no clock standard or arrival date.
Derry Now — Ray Cossum recalls his Channel swim
Checked 2026-10-31
Supports · The 31 July 2020 interview explicitly dates the departure from France to 31 July 1970 and describes a landing near Folkestone in 13:41 after two previous attempts.
Limitations · A later sentence also associates the landing with 31 July. The federation clock times run from evening to morning and Tower Museum dates the swim to 1 August.
Tower Museum — Ray Cossum and the Laurentic
Checked 2026-10-31
Supports · The named profile on printed page 14 covers Folkestone, Royal Navy service, the move to Derry, both Lough Swilly swims, the Channel solo and coaching with his son Des.
Limitations · It dates the Channel swim to 1 August 1970 without distinguishing departure from landing.
Irish Long Distance Swimming Association — Ray Cossum, Class of 2021
Checked 2026-10-31
Supports · The Ray Cossum section credits his 13:41 solo in 1970 as the first by a swimmer from Ireland. It describes swims in Lough Swilly, Lough Neagh and Windermere, his training of the 1978 under-16 relay and its 8:40 crossing.
Limitations · The relay time belongs to the team he coached. The Irish association's geographic description is distinct from the CS&PF nationality field.
Channel Swimming Association — remembrance of Ray Cossum
Checked 2026-10-31
Supports · The obituary gives 17 September 1931 and 17 November 2022, his director and vice-president roles and his career as a submarine escape instructor and salvage diver.
Limitations · Its narrative says 1971 for France to England. CS&PF, ILDSA, Tower Museum and Cossum's 2020 interview place the documented 13:41 swim in 1970.