folkartwork

HMS UNBROKEN CREW MEMBERS Jolly Roger Flag (c. 1940s) // Sold at auction for $15,230

heard through Lost Found Art

The tradition of creating Jolly Roger flags on submarines began during the First World War after First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson claimed the
vessels were ‘underhanded, unfair and damned un-English’, adding the crews ought to be hanged as pirates. The tradition continued during the Second
World War and now these flags are incredibly rare.

“The Jolly Roger flags were created by the submariners to keep a record of their successes – and they were flown from the boats.

“HMS Unbroken spent most of the war in the Mediterranean where she caused havoc for the enemy.

“She also attacked a railway line on the Italian mainland but suffered damage by return fire and had to be repaired in Malta.”

>> The bars on the left are merchant ships attacked and the red bars are those that sunk. On the other side are crossed cannons and stars that represent merchant ships sunk with the deck guns while the crossed daggers represent the four cloak and dagger missions undertaken by the crew of the “Unbroken” <<