Viking halberd a drooping "beard". The name is from Old Norse "skegg", "beard" and "øx", "axe". The term "Viking halberd" was used to describe a find in North America in the 1995 book "Early Vikings of the New World", but it was later demonstrated to be a tobacco cutter. There has currently been, in fact, no clearly identified Viking halberd or bill found. Spears are the only type of polearms found in Viking graves. It is possible that halberds and bills were not part of Viking funerary customs, as opposed to other weapons that have been found in graves. Bills have been
Operation Halberd Force H was attacked by three submarines; and "Adua" was sunk by "Gurkha" and "Legion". Another "Ark Royal" Fulmar fell to friendly fire from "Prince of Wales", raising British aircraft losses to three Fulmars from friendly fire and one Swordfish from enemy action. Italian aircraft losses were 21 including seven bombers and one fighter from enemy action, one fighter from friendly fire, and ten fighters from fuel exhaustion. Admiral Somerville was knighted in recognition of his successful command of Force H during Operation Halberd. It was the second time Somerville had received that honour; and occasioned this memorable congratulatory message