Helgi Hallvarðsson (12 June 1931 – 15 March 2008) was an Icelandic commander in the Icelandic Coast Guard. During his 55-year service with the Coast Guard, he took part in all three Anglo-Icelandic Cod Wars[1][2] where he was nicknamed "Mad Helgi",[3] "The Maddest Axeman" and "Napoleon of the North" by the British due to his aggressive tactics.[4][5][6]

Helgi Hallvarðsson
Nickname(s)The Maddest Axeman
Born(1931-06-12)12 June 1931
Reykjavík, Kingdom of Iceland
Died15 March 2008(2008-03-15) (aged 76)
Reykjavík, Iceland
Branch Icelandic Coast Guard
Years of service1954–1999
RankCommander
Commands
Conflicts

Life

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Helgi was born in Reykjavík to Guðfinna Lýðsdóttir and Hallvarður Rósinkarsson, both from Skógarströnd.[7]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ "Andlát: Helgi Hallvarðsson". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 17 March 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  2. ^ Birna Helgadóttir (27 March 1992). "Fishermen enlist Iceland's famous net-cutter". The Ottawa Citizen. p. 18. Retrieved 24 July 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Gunboat Thor crashes into frigate". Aberdeen Evening Express. 9 January 1976. pp. 1, 9. Retrieved 24 July 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.  
  4. ^ Guðmundur G. Þórarinsson (23 November 1992). "The Maddest Axeman". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 17. Retrieved 24 July 2022 – via Tímarit.is.  
  5. ^ Gordon Hughes (12 January 1976). "My Napoleon of the North". Daily Mirror. p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.  
  6. ^ Atli Magnússon (10 December 1992). "Sjentilmenn og óróamenn". Alþýðublaðið (in Icelandic). p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2022 – via Tímarit.is.  
  7. ^ "Stríðshetja í helgan stein". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 3 January 1999. pp. 12B–13B. Retrieved 24 July 2022 – via Tímarit.is.