HMS Courageous Fire Screen

Made of varnished timber, the front of the screen is dated 1936-39 and carries an image of the ship's crest and motto "Courageux Et Fougueux". HMS Courageous (pennant no. 50) was built as a cruiser in WWI but was decommissioned post war and rebuilt as an aircraft carrier launched in 1928. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-29 off the coast of Ireland on 17th September, 1939 with the sad loss of her captain and 518 of her crew. We had no provenance with the screen but assume it was made by a member of her crew who served on her between 1936 and 1939 and can only hope he was not one of the hands lost when she sank. Measures 25" x 18" (64 cm x 46 cm)