The boat badge of HMS 'Courageous' 1916. The official design, approved in June 1923. On a field black, a right arm proper, the hand grasping a green serpent. Why this particular design was chosen is unclear, other than it being illustrative of the name The badge is a pentagonal shape with a gold rope twist border representing a cruiser. It is made of cast brass, painted and drilled at the corners. 'Courageous' was a light battlecruiser, she was completed in 1916 and took part in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight in November 1917 and was present at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet the following year. She was rebuilt as an aircraft carrier in 1928 and was sunk by U-29 on 17 September 1939. She was the first British warship to be lost in the war. A nuclear submarine of the same name was launched in 1971, retired 1992, now a museum ship.