A woman never forgot the lifeboat crew who saved her life as a teenager nearly 60 years ago - and left them more than £14,000 in her will. Kind-hearted Joan Scambler, from Dunbar in East Lothian, made the remarkable gesture before she sadly passed away in January 2021, aged 69.
She was rescued by the town's lifeboat volunteers after a canoe she was in capsized in April 1965, when she was 14. She was kept afloat by her friend Arnold 'Noll' Togneri, whose canoe it was, but she was fearing for her life when the lifeboat reached her.
Joan's brother Alan Scambler said: "Joan was always most grateful to the RNLI for saving her and they gave her an additional 56 years of life. Joan was generous to a fault and in part of her will she bequeathed £14,360 each to five different charities."
To mark Joan's incredible generosity, Alan's grandchildren, Lewis, 11, and Ailie, seven, will present the cheque to Dunbar Lifeboat Fundraising Chair Veronica Davies during the Lifeboat Fete on Saturday (July 16).
Noll, 72, said: "I was at East Beach with a big old-fashioned wood and canvas canoe. Several of us where there. It was a nice April day, but cold with a fairly stiff westerly breeze. Jack and Mark had a shot and then Joan came along with a friend and wanted a shot."
Joan took Noll's canoe, while her friend Linda Sinclair, also 14, took his friend's smaller canoe out sometime after 4pm. Noll said: "The bay was calm but I told Joan not to go as far as the white horses further out."
However, within a few minutes both girls got into difficulties. Linda managed to turn her canoe and reach shore safely, but Joan struggled to handle hers. Realising that Joan was in trouble, Noll set off in his friend's canoe, while Jack alerted the coastguard.
Noll reached Joan but as he tried to turn her canoe towards shore it capsized sending Joan into the water. She tried to hang onto the stern of his canoe but it too sank, leaving them both in the water.
Noll said: "Joan was in jeans and fashion boots which made it difficult for her to swim. I was in trunks and a shirt. We were about a mile and a half offshore and by now it was very cold. I was trying to keep her up."
Shortly after 4.50pm, the maroons were fired and four minutes later the Watson-class lifeboat Margaret launched from the harbour. Davie Lees, now 82, is the last surviving member of the crew that day. The former fisherman responded to the call, along with coxswain Robert George Brunton, engineer Andrew Smith, his son Charlie, Zander Wilson and Bob Marr.
Davie, who spent four years on the crew and later returned as a DLA and Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: "We got to them quite quickly but they were getting blown off. She was hanging on but couldn't hang on much longer. We picked them up, got them on board and Zander Wilson, who was our first aider then, got blankets to warm them up and we brought them to shore. Joan was on the verge of hypothermia."
Noll said he and Joan spent the night in Dunbar Cottage Hospital at East Links but they were none the worse for their ordeal. For staying with Joan, even when she implored him to leave her and swim to the shore to save himself, Noll was awarded an inscribed watch.
He said: "History repeated itself as my dad, who was also called Arnold, received an inscribed silver half hunter pocket watch for saving someone from the harbour mouth when he was 16."
Joan's brother Alan said that, thanks to Noll's bravery and the swift action of the lifeboat crew, Joan went on to live a full life. He said: "Joan was bright and sporty at school. She was in the primary school netball team, secondary school hockey team and was in the team which won the East Lothian Country Dance Championship in the 1960s.
"At the time Joan was the youngest member of the Dunbar Swimming Club to get her life-saving certificate at nine years old. She was a good swimmer and an active member of the swimming club for many years. This held her in good stead for the canoe incident.
"Joan was also a good musician and singer. In the 1970s, Dunbar's famous Doo Man, Victor Lough - the father of Dunbar RNLI's fundraising chair Veronica Davies - and Joan played together as a popular duo called 'The Vee Jays', playing locally and throughout the Lothians, Fife and the Borders.
"Joan lived the majority of her life in Dunbar, as well as spending around 15 years in North Berwick until her early 40s.
"She had many jobs but latterly worked in the local pet shop and behind the counter at Dunbar Post Office. She had no family of her own but was an avid dog lover and had several golden retrievers over a 40-year period.
"Joan never forgot the RNLI and was a regular supporter of Dunbar's Lifeboat Day. To show her appreciation for such a fantastic institution we have her great nephew and niece Lewis and Ailie presenting a cheque from Joan for £14,360."
Ms Davies said: "On behalf of the RNLI, we really appreciate the kindness of the late Joan Scambler and her family at what must have been a very difficult time. This was a beautiful gesture in remembrance of Joan and we are truly thankful for this very generous donation.
"The donation will greatly help the RNLI, a cause that Joan was very passionate about, to continue saving lives at sea."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
