Paul Adalsteinsson

Paul Adalsteinsson was an Icelandic businessman who received an MBE for his service in World War II after rescuing naval seamen torpedoed by a Nazi submarine off the coast of Skapa Flow. The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, then visited Grimsby and met with Adalsteinsson. The Duke was shown around the pride of the port's fishing fleet, the Rinovia, by her skipper Adalsteinsson, and directors of the Rinovia Steam Fishing Company, including Mr JR Cobley and Mr Thomas Little. Adalsteinsson was killed in a car crash in 1970.
Among the crew members he met was the radio operator, Mr James McKillop who persuaded the Duke to record a message for the trawler to retain.
The Rinovia Steam Fishing Company was founded in the 1930s by J.R. ("Joe") Cobley and Adalsteinsson (director also of Abunda Fishing Co.), Several of its trawlers were requisitioned by the Royal Navy in World War II for minesweeping duties and were lost, most notably the first Rinovia, a well-known wreck on The Manacles off Falmouth, Cornwall. Most of the ships (but not the Rinovia itself) bore the names of coastal locations in Iceland.
Grimsby's first £1m annual catch was brought home by skipper Adalsteinsson.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu