The boat badge of HMS 'Penzance' 1930. An official design, the pattern approved in July 1929. On a black field, the head of John the Baptist, gold on a silver charger. The design is taken from the 1614 common seal of the borough. The badge is diamond-shaped with a gold rope twist border representing an auxiliary. It is made of cast brass, painted and drilled at the corners. 'PENZANCE' is inscribed on the reverse. HMS 'Penzance was a Folkestone-class sloop launched in 1930 at Devonport and sunk by U-37 while on convoy protection duties in the North Atlantic on 24 August 1940.