Skull and crossbones (military)

Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson VC, the Controller of the Royal Navy, summed up the opinion of the many in the Admiralty at the time when in 1901 he said submarines were "underhand, unfair, and damned un-English.

[3][4] In World War II it became common practice for the submarines of the Royal Navy to fly the Jolly Roger on completion of a successful combat mission where some action had taken place, but as an indicator of bravado and stealth rather than of lawlessness.

While these are distinctly different squadrons that have no lineal linkage, they all share the same "Jolly Roger" name, the skull and crossbones insignia and traditions.

Inspired by the piratical theme of the aircraft's name, VF-17's commanding officer Tommy Blackburn selected the Jolly Roger as the squadron's insignia.

[7] Hussars, lancers[8] and dragoons[9] became established types of military units, with their typical uniform patterns (and weapons and tactics) maintained in many armies.

Due to its usage in military contexts and its connotations of uncompromising strength and avant-garde, the skull symbol also became a significant emblem of rebellion in subcultures and youth cultures.

[11] In Chile, during the independence battles, a paramilitary guerrilla group against the royal Spanish army composed mainly by bandits and civilians, called Los húsares de la muerte (The Death Hussars) wore a Skull with two crossed femurs on the neck of their jackets.

[15] During the Russian Civil War, the troops of the White Kornilov Division wore patches emblazoned with a skull and crossbones above a pair of crossed swords.

The death symbols that were banned in Australia include the skull and crossbones, the comic book characters Phantom and Punisher, as well as the Grim Reaper.