Dunbar hero’s bravery award donated back to RNLI

Arnold ‘Noll’ Togneri was 16 when he fearlessly swam out to help 14-year-old Joan Scambler after she had borrowed his canoe but got into difficulties off the town’s East Beach on 11 April 1965.

Joan was fearing for her life but Noll kept her afloat until both were rescued by Dunbar lifeboat volunteers aboard the Watson class Margaret. In recognition of his courage, the RNLI presented Noll with a specially engraved wristwatch, which he received that summer at an awards ceremony in London from Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent.

Noll, a keen swimmer and sailor, went on to serve on Dunbar’s lifeboat crew and later as a launch authority. His actions that day inspired Joan to generously leave the lifeboat station £14,000 in her will after she passed away in January 2021, aged 69.

Sadly, Noll – who over the years became an instantly recognisable figure around the town – passed away on 15 May 2024, aged 74, nine years after the death of his wife Carol, 67, and youngest son, Roger, who died in 2013, aged 41. Eldest son Paul, 56, was keen to preserve the memory of his father’s bravery – and kindly donated the watch back to the RNLI and Dunbar Lifeboat Station.

He said: ‘I wanted to do this because these stories just get lost to time. History is not something people talk about these days and the past can sometimes evaporate. I didn’t want that to happen. I want to let other generations see what people used to do.’

This week, Paul, an artist, presented the watch – framed with an account of the rescue and Noll’s life – to volunteers from Dunbar RNLI. ‘Given my dad served on the lifeboat crew it felt fitting to return the watch to the station,’ he said. ‘I’m sure if he could have witnessed this he would have been very proud.’

Receiving the award on behalf of Dunbar RNLI, shop manager Ken Headley said: ‘It was a pleasure to meet Noll's son Paul and receive his unique tribute to his dad. We will be proud to display this in our High Street shop for all to see.’

The text accompanying the watch tells how conditions had been calm when Joan and her friend Linda Sinclair had borrowed the canoes from Noll and a pal but quickly the girls got into difficulties. ‘While Linda managed to reach the shore, Joan was struggling to control hers. Grabbing a canoe, Noll set out to help while his friend alerted the Coastguard. Noll reached Joan but as he tried to turn her canoe towards the shore it capsized sending her into the water. She tried to hang onto the stern of his canoe, but it too sank leaving them both in the water. Although they were being blown further out, Noll managed to keep Joan afloat until Dunbar lifeboat crew found them. Both Noll and Joan spent the night in Dunbar Cottage Hospital at East Links but were none the worse for their ordeal.’

Noll’s bravery was a case of history repeating itself as his dad, also called Arnold, had previously received an inscribed silver half hunter pocket watch from the Royal Humane Society for saving someone at the harbour mouth when he too was 16.

Paul added: ‘I only found out recently what happened. A boat was coming into the harbour mouth in rough weather when it capsized and the occupant fell into the water. My grandpa saw he was struggling, going under, dived in and grabbed him. Even when waves pulled the guy back under, my grandpa dived back under the water and pulled him up before passing fishermen were able to haul him out. Between my dad and grandpa, they helped a number of people over the years.’

· Established in 1808, 16 years before the formation of the RNLI, Dunbar Lifeboat Station is one of the oldest in Scotland and is located on the south side of the mouth of the Firth of Forth.

· Since its formation, its volunteer crews have been honoured with 12 awards for gallantry.

· It operates two lifeboats – the Trent class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) John Neville Taylor, moored at Torness Power Station, and the D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB) David Lauder, which launches from Dunbar Harbour.

· A file photo of Dunbar’s lifeboats can be viewed here.

RNLI media contacts

Douglas Wight, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

Alexander Williams, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer [email protected]

Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office (available 24 hours) 01202 336789 [email protected]

Notes to editors

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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