Colonel Arthur Richard Cecil Butson, GC, OMM, CD and Bar (24 October 1922 – 24 March 2015) was born of British parents in China, and later emigrated to Canada. A medical student during the Second World War, he then joined the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey in 1946, and for rescuing another Antarctic explorer from a crevasse in 1947 was awarded the Albert Medal, then, with the George Cross, the highest award for civilian gallantry for British and Commonwealth citizens. Later, all holders of the Albert Medal were invited to exchange that medal for the George Cross. From 1948 he undertook postgraduate medical research in London before moving to Canada where he continued his medical career, both in civilian practice and with the Canadian Militia Early life and Antarctic Butson was born in Hankow, China of British parents on 24 October 1922. He was educated in England at Leighton Park School and then at the University of Cambridge and University College Hospital, graduating MB, BChir in 1945. He served in the Home Guard and a Light Rescue Squad in London during the Blitz and as a Medical Officer with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey in the Antarctic from 1946 to 1948. During his year in Antarctica, the expedition found a route for dog teams over the 5,000-foot high mountains of the Grahamland Peninsula and surveyed the last thousand miles of the most inaccessible coastline of the world. For Bravery and Distinguished Service in Antarctica, Butson was awarded both the Albert Medal (later superseded by the George Cross) and the Polar Medal. Butson's citation for the Albert Medal reads: Butson's own description of events: Canada Butson did postgraduate surgical studies in London until 1952, when he emigrated to Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario in 1953, where he practiced as a surgeon. With the establishment of McMaster University Medical School in 1970, he joined the part-time faculty, ending with the appointment of Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery. He was Chief of Staff of St. Joseph's Hospital, a 600-bed teaching hospital, for two years and Head of the Service of General Surgery for many years. He has published about 20 papers on surgical topics. He found time to obtain a Doctorate in addition to his medical degree. Butson joined the Canadian Militia in 1956 as Medical Officer to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry until 1972. He later commanded Hamilton's 23 Medical Company,