Ben Asdale
Here is a wreck that everybody can enjoy because you do not have to dive on it. You can either look down on it from the headland, or when the tide is out you can scramble over the rocks and walk right up to it. Maenporth Beach is a great beach to visit anyway, with a pub and a snack bar right next to the beach, and easy parking. Enjoy.
The Ben Asdale two days after she struck.
On the evening of 30th December 1979 the freezer trawler Ben Asdale was off loading fish into the hold of the Russian factory ship Antartika, which was anchored in Falmouth Bay. The weather was appalling, with a force eight gale blowing and heavy snow falling. When the Ben Asdale had finished discharging her cargo of mackerel, she cast off her stern rope in preparation to move away from the anchored Antartika. Unfortunately the rope fouled her rudder and she would not respond to her helm. The skipper, Barney Coe, tried to get the Russians to re secure the stern of his vessel but by now the fierce gale was dragging both boats. The Russians sent over two officers to assist in getting the steering working and shortly after the bow rope parted and the Ben Asdale was adrift at the mercy of the sea.
The Ben Asdale
The skipper let go an anchor but it failed to hold, and as they were swept towards Manenporth beach, a Mayday was sent. With the wind now gusting force ten and the waves breaking over the trawler, she was out of control, and soon piled onto the rocks at the bottom of Newporth Head. As the boat struck the rocks one of the crew jumped over the side gravely injuring himself, and others threw out anything to act as life rafts.
By now word of the trawlers troubles had spread and the three Billcliffe brothers who had a hotel by the beach rushed to the scene and with no regard for their own safety waded straight into the raging surf and during that night dragged three of the crew to safety. Up on Newporth head, the Coastguard had arrived and was setting up a breaches buoy. The blizzard was now so bad that nobody could see hardly anything, and searchlights were rigged. As the breaches buoy was connected to the stricken trawler she lurched and rolled onto her side jamming all the gear. Luckily the rescue helicopter had by now arrived from Coldrose but could not see what was going on down on the hulk of the trawler because of the swirling blizzard.
The Ben Asdale today.
The Coastguard set up a radio link with the pilot, to guide the helicopter, which had to fly backwards over the wreck because of the winds and the nearness of the Headland. Over a period of about one and a half hours the helicopter lowered its winch eight times and successfully lifted off a crewman. Whilst all this was happening three of the crew despaired and tried to swim to a shore that looked temptingly near. In the end eleven people were saved, but sadly in spite off all the efforts of the emergency services and the courageous Billcliffe brothers, three men, two Britons and a Russian were drowned, their bodies washed up the next day on Maenporth Beach.
I am very gratefull to Commander Mike Norman Royal Navy, who was the Helicopter Pilot, for his first hand account of this epic rescue.
It is 33 years almost to the day since the tragedy of the South Shields trawler BEN ASDALE but to me it still feels like yesterday. I was the Captain of the aircraft. I have had couple of occasions in my naval career when the minute details of focussed and intense activity remain as clear as day; the other being the moment an Exoccet missile hit HMS SHEFFIELD in the Falklands WAR and sunk her. I was the Second in Command of that Type 42 Guided Missile Destroyer.
I am very heartened to read Skipper Barty Coe’s comments putting the record straight and I hope he gets to read mine. I was also pleased to read Peter and Mike Billcliffe’s comments although I don’t think I ever met them.
As regards the events on that wild night, the Captain of RNAS Culdrose , Captain ‘Jock’ Tofts decided the weather and icing conditions were outside limits and that it was a ‘no-go’. But then we heard in the Culdrose Ops Room from the Falmouth Coastguard that the ‘Breaches Buoy’ attempt had failed and since the Falmouth lifeboat could not get near the vessel the only remaining means of reacue was by helicopter. Captain Tofts left the decision with me and after consultation with the rest of my duty SAR crew we decided we would give it our best shot since if we didn’t it was unlikely those eight left onboard would see the morning.
I won’t go into a blow by blow account but suffice to say it was the most challenging bit of flying any of us had done before or since. One could say it was a close run thing since on lift number 3 when a survivor was picked up with a huge swing on the winch wire the aircraft became almost uncontollable. As one Coastguard Officer said later
” the rotor blades were almost touching the cliffs at one point” And as the rescue progressed the intercom between the crew failed and a lot of the internal communication was done on bits of paper being passed backwards and forwards ! On top of that we had also lost communiaction with the Air Station who we learned later had a power failure and there was no ‘get you home’ radar assistance. But we did manage to complete the rescue and make it home due in no small measure to our excellent training, good teamwork and quite a lot of luck!!
We were all grateful to have been acknowledged for our efforts later; that is the First Pilot Lt Tony Hogg, later to become the Captain of RNAS Culdrose; the Second Pilot, Lt Larry Jeram-Croft; Leading Aircrewman Jan Folland; Medical assistant Brain Steele, a volunteer from Culdrose Sick Bay and myself, the Captain and Observer. I wonder if the Billcliffe Brothers received recognition for their bravery ? They certainly deserved it.
After this long night we all went to the Sick Bay after putting the aircraft to bed, at around 0630, to see our survivors, one of them a Russian, all tucked up in bed and recovering, some from hypothermia. After a hearty breakfast and an hours kip we were off again to take a pregnant woman who was cut off in the snow, to hospital. It was a few days later that the reality sunk in and how close we had come to the BEN ASDALE rescue being a horrific disaster……..It will be a chapter in my memoires, as will HMS SHEFFIELD and the Falklands War!
I recently went to Maenporth on holiday and saw the Ben Asdale. It is really old and rusty but I nearly got stuck when the tide was coming in but i had my wetsuit on so I just swam to the beach.
I continually look for my maiden name – Asdale – but rarely find it. As far as I know there is only one remaining person, a male who can carry on the Asdale name as I know it here in the US. It would be so very interesting to learn that we, the Asdale’s of previous Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, are more than just we.
The Ben Asdale, well my grandad was the captain! He was one of the 3 people that died. As he was the captain he was the last to get off – I don’t know much about it though.
Why isn’t there a memorial to remember the people that died and the heroic efforts of the rescuers? It’s a great beach but on a nice day the people enjoying themselves will know nothing of what happened as the ship can not be seen from the beach.
like you we have been trying to find the asdale name
as this was my mothers maiden name,
but we are in the uk.
my uncle moved to canada selkirk and we think his son moved to florida and still lives there.
they came from north/west yorkshire area.
iff you think we may be related please feel free to email me and we could swap information.
lorraine stansfield.
ps they are also related to the barker family.
It was a wild night, the real hero being the helicopter pilot, he carried on even after he lost much of his cabin electrics shorted out from the driving rain, snow and surf.
The name of the brothers by the way is Billcliffe, not Billicliffe, and yes I was one of them. At the time our parents owned Maenporth Beach and the Crag Hotel behind it, now called Maenporth Estate. I remember it well as it was the night before I got engaged, and I am still very happily married today with 3 children of our own.
My parents and me used to stay 2 weeks every year at the Crag.I think when we first stayed,the owner was George Hughes,then Sam Billcliffe.
I was not much more than 6 or 7.Remember playing on a 3 wheel bike in the car park so must have known the brothers.
You were incredibly brave that night and I agree that some sort of plaque should be created.
I am also one of the three Billcliffe brothers who waded into the sea that night and still remember so clearly that dreadful night and the brave efforts of all those who gave their all to help with no thought of their own safety, especially the pilot and crew of the helicopter who put themselves and their aircraft at such risk in order to save the crew of the stricken trawler. I still live not far from Maenporth and have watched the wreck vanish bit by bit over the years, broken up by the sea. I to feel that something should be placed at Maenporth or on
Newporth head to remember those who lost their lives.
I am also one of the three Billcliffe brothers who waded into the sea that night and still remember so clearly that dreadful night and the brave efforts of all those who gave their all to help with no thought of their own safety, especially the pilot and crew of the helicopter who put themselves and their aircraft at such risk in order to save the crew of the stricken trawler. I still live not far from Maenporth and have watched the wreck vanish bit by bit over the years, broken up by the sea. I also feel that something should be placed at Maenporth or on Newporth head to remember those who lost their lives that night.
I was at the Fishery College in Falmouth a couple of years later. We were taken to the Coast Guard Station by Mr Clifton Pender (our lecturer) where there, or was, a painting of the incident. I seem to remember that Mr Pender was rather bitter about some aspect of the rescue? I could be wrong, but I think it was something to do with the tugs refusing to come out?
On the weekends, we’d sometimes clime down the Breaches Buoy and explore the wreck.
I saw this ship close up shortly after she foundered. At that time there had been a hole cut in her side with a ladder in place to it, so I assume some kind of salvage was in progress. As it was a very calm and sunny day, I took a walk right up to it, and being inquisitive, went up the ladder. Quite scary really as Im no good at heights! I was a bit concerned that someone might take offence at me doing this, but on reaching the [oblong] hole and looking inside, I saw and heard no one.
I remember seeing all the cable trunking and dials, but it was a tad spooky, because it was dark inside and I could water sloshing around inside and below me..I would have gone onto the superstructure, but it was far too steep to climb further up and it seemed silly to attempt it. The ship was in good condition then, almost as if , were it possible to right it, it could have floated off on the next high tide! The hull must have been breached by those rocks though. It was sad experience all in all, and I never forgot the episode. I only happened on the wreck because I was driving and delivering goods in the area, and noticed the ship whilst driving along the coast road.
hi all. i was skipper of the asdale the night she ran ashore. i would just like give a first hand account of what took place on that fatefull night.
after landing our catch of maceral to the russian klondyker Antarctica we found that our steering would not work and requested to the skipper that we stay tied up to his vessel till we sorted the problem and, wouild it be possible, because of the deteriating weather conditions to put more ropes onto him. Due to language difficulties this did not happen but they send 2 of their men, one an electiciam the other a engineer aboard to assist the repair. In the meantime the trawler boston Blemheim came out of Falmouth to try and tow us into the harbour, the wind by now had reached about force 8. After three attemps a line was passed across and our warp end was hove across to the Blenheim but before a tow could be secured the blenheim fell across antarctica bow and sustained damage to her staboard quirter and further attembs were abandened. by now the weather had worsened, winds reaching foce 10 from the east, causing the Antarctica’s anchor to drag and both boats were being driven toward the shore and our forward ropes parted causing us to swing under her stern. to avoid damage the remaining mooring ropes were let go and we dropped our anchor but this did not hold.
By this time we were only about quarter of a mile from shore and a mayday was sent out. it was only a matter of minutes before we were driven onto the rocks. we remained in touch with the coastguard who informed us that help was on the way from the shore. attempts were made ro launch the liferafts on the starboard side but after getting 3 men into them they both broke adrift, we found out later that 2men made it to the shore and the other had heen thrown out of the raft. the shore rescue arrived and a breaches bouy was rigged btween the cliff and tyhe ships mast on the wheelhouse top. Just as we were about to have the first crewmember enter the bouy the ship turned over onto its port side taking with it all the rescue equipment. out of the four of us on the wheelhouse my self and 2 others managed to scamble over the side of the wheelhouse into the well of the staboard verander.
The mate had tried to come down a ladder at the back of the wheelhouse and had slipped but was holding on. I tried to grab him by the hand but he slipped from my grasp and vanished ninto the sea. The two russians who had came onboard made signs that they were going to try and swim ashore and couild not be persauded not to they climbed over the ship and made thare way to the anchor well. we found out later that one had attemped to swim ashore and had perished. The remaining crew were eventually taken off by helicopter and i was last to leave the vessel. we were taken to Culdrose navel base and because of the snow that had fallen were unable to leave for 3 days.
Some time later the boat was checked over by the then DTI who found that the stearing had been jammed by a nut that had come loose inside one of the hydrualic stearing rams and there was no way it could have been detected at sea.
We later heard that three men and their father, the Billcliffe’s, had attemped to help us. one can only give you all praise as well as all others that helped on the night, the helicopter crew who, because of the furosiosness of the weather were told they did not have to fly, thank god they did, Lifeboat and coastguards crews.
On a final note i visited the wreck sight in 2003 with the intenion of looking up the Billciffe familly but found that a newholiday complex had been built at mainporth were their hotel had once been. one thing did upset me while i was making enquiries as to what happened to the familly were the comments from the desk clerk at the new hotel. i had not told him who i was but told him i had been along looking at the remains of the wreck, to which he told me the scottish crew had all been full of drink it being new year. well you can imagine how i felt, I toild him who i was and for a start we were all crew fron north shields not scottish and we did not carry drink on the boat. I’m afraid a cant’ tell you what i ended up calling this fellow.
Being from Penryn,ive spent many a day on Meanporth beach.Ive been told lots of stories about the Ben Asdale,its nice to here what happened from people that were there that night.So much respect for the Billcliffe bros for trying to help those in need.Next time im back home the beers on me lads!
I made a comment in feb 2010, saying that I could not for life of me understand why there is no memorial somewhere to remember those who perished that night abd to the heroic efforts of all who assisted .
Richard young echoed my thoughts in Dec. There should be some sort of recognition. Too many times events like these are forgotton about or twisted into something that never happened, like some macbare chinese whispers. Take the example of the misguided barman at the hotel.
My family and I will be down there in august and I shall take a look at the wreck, only this time with a different perpective. On the beach you can hire canoes to paddle about the cove in. This is how I discovered the wreck. What about if the people hiring out the canoes gave out a leaflet informing people of what the wreck is and some background to it? This would raise its profile and maybe start a groundswell for having a permenent memorial.
The mate who was lost was Peter Allen from South Shields who i knew fairly well and i had sailed with his brother Paul who was third hand in the old Abergeldie A391 back in the early sixties out of North Shields.
At the time of the loss i was no longer fishing but I can remember Peters father “Old Tim” coming into the Harbour Lights pub in South Shields on New Years Day to tell us of the tragic loss of the Ben Asdale. The news certainly took the shine off our celebrations. Tim was renowned as a tough old cookie but i don’t think he was ever the same after the tragedy
I remember visiting the Ben Asdale when I was 4 years old, just after it happened. Another big mackerel boat the Conqueror was wrecked at Mousehole around the same time.These images still stick in my head.Funny it was rumoured that the crew of the Conqueror was drunk too.Being a fisherman myself,I wonder do people think we’re always drinking at sea,coz the truth is I’ve never seen alcohol on a fv at sea.
Great account of that night Barty,and respect to all those involved in the rescue
It is 33 years almost to the day since the tragedy of the South Shields trawler BEN ASDALE but to me it still feels like yesterday. I was the Captain of the aircraft. I have had couple of occasions in my naval career when the minute details of focussed and intense activity remain as clear as day; the other being the moment an Exoccet missile hit HMS SHEFFIELD in the Falklands WAR and sunk her. I was the Second in Command of that Type 42 Guided Missile Destroyer.
I am very heartened to read Skipper Barty Coe’s comments putting the record straight and I hope he gets to read mine. I was also pleased to read Peter and Mike Billcliffe’s comments although I don’t think I ever met them.
As regards the events on that wild night, the Captain of RNAS Culdrose , Captain ‘Jock’ Tofts decided the weather and icing conditions were outside limits and that it was a ‘no-go’. But then we heard in the Culdrose Ops Room from the Falmouth Coastguard that the ‘Breaches Buoy’ attempt had failed and since the Falmouth lifeboat could not get near the vessel the only remaining means of reacue was by helicopter. Captain Tofts left the decision with me and after consultation with the rest of my duty SAR crew we decided we would give it our best shot since if we didn’t it was unlikely those eight left onboard would see the morning.
I won’t go into a blow by blow account but suffice to say it was the most challenging bit of flying any of us had done before or since. One could say it was a close run thing since on lift number 3 when a survivor was picked up with a huge swing on the winch wire the aircraft became almost uncontollable. As one Coastguard Officer said later
” the rotor blades were almost touching the cliffs at one point” And as the rescue progressed the intercom between the crew failed and a lot of the internal communication was done on bits of paper being passed backwards and forwards ! On top of that we had also lost communiaction with the Air Station who we learned later had a power failure and there was no ‘get you home’ radar assistance. But we did manage to complete the rescue and make it home due in no small measure to our excellent training, good teamwork and quite a lot of luck!!
We were all grateful to have been acknowledged for our efforts later; that is the First Pilot Lt Tony Hogg, later to become the Captain of RNAS Culdrose; the Second Pilot, Lt Larry Jeram-Croft; Leading Aircrewman Jan Folland; Medical assistant Brain Steele, a volunteer from Culdrose Sick Bay and myself, the Captain and Observer. I wonder if the Billcliffe Brothers received recognition for their bravery ? They certainly deserved it.
After this long night we all went to the Sick Bay after putting the aircraft to bed, at around 0630, to see our survivors, one of them a Russian, all tucked up in bed and recovering, some from hypothermia. After a hearty breakfast and an hours kip we were off again to take a pregnant woman who was cut off in the snow, to hospital. It was a few days later that the reality sunk in and how close we had come to the BEN ASDALE rescue being a horrific disaster……..It will be a chapter in my memoires, as will HMS SHEFFIELD and the Falklands War!
This is to the Billcliffe brothers – spent many happy years at the crag hotel with all the Billcliffe family. Happy memories of Gran, Sam and Vera.
Spent many happy years at the Crag Hotel with all the Billcliffe family. Happy memories of Gran, Sam & Vera.
Interesting to read the above – I spent many happy holidays in Falmouth as a child in the 70s and also saw the wreck fairly soon after it was wrecked. Also have seen it in recent times as a rusty relic! Agree a memorial should be created to remember those that died and recognise the efforts of the rescuers.
I and my family climbed and dived on this wreck in the 80s and 90s.We met the Billcliffe brothers through Ken who had the beach cafe at maenporth. I have a bar in southern Spain. Imagine my suprise when a customer told me he lost a trawler off Falmouth , and his suprise when i told him i knew it. He has an oil painting of the helicopter rescue. I will contact him as im sure everybody connected would like to see it.
A friend of mine in Spain who had dived round the wreck told me about this website, I was Man. Director of fishing with Richard Irvin and totaly involved with the contracting and building of the Ben Asdale and 3 other Trawlers in Dieppe. On the night the Asdale broke adrift Iwas contacted by the Coastguard and thereafter was continually on ‘phone with they and RAF culdrose until rescue was completed, some time after my Brother(Chairman) and I commissioned a local ArtistJohn Hamiltan to paint in oil 2 paintings of the rescue showing the snow breeches buoy and helicopter we donated one to RAF Culdrose and the other is hanging onthe wall on my top landing here in the house I will try and see how I can send a copy of the painting to this website as I have taken photos of it, She was a wonderful ship in fact i went to Iceland on her maiden voyage.
Sorry just realised I made a mistake it was not RAF Culdrose but RNAS. Culdrose apologies to all.