Born 17 June 1901 in Swanville, Minnesota, United States, Cecil Corrigan was the third son in a family of twelve chidren, his father, Samuel Harvey Corrigan, MD, was a country doctor also practising surgery, who became FACS in 1929. His mother was Jennie Lodisa, also nee Corrigan. His early education was at various primary and secondary schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, before entering the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. During this time he broke off his training to enlist at the earliest possible age as an RAF cadet in 1918. After graduating in 1925 and after practising briefly in Lampman, Saskatchewan, he came to Europe for further experience. He held various house appointments in hospitals in London and southern France, particularly Marseilles. He took his FRCS in 1930, and later stated 'my surgical god was Russell Howard of the London Hospital'. On returning to Canada he practised general surgery at St Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, in 1931 and obtained his first appointment with the University of Manitoba in 1932. In 1939 he was appointed chief of surgery at St Boniface, and held the post till 1950. On the outbreak of war in 1939 he joined the Canadian Army, serving with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in Canada, the United Kingdom, North Africa, Italy, and northwest Europe. As CO of no 8 field Dressing Station, which was converted to an advanced surgical centre at Ceprano in the Liri Valley campaign, he was awarded an immediate DSO while directing his unit under fire. The unit was later converted to the 8th Light Field Ambulance, and he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1945 he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration, Canada. On returning to Canada he resumed his post at St Boniface and also became chief of surgery at Deer Lodge (DVA) Hospital. He obtained his FRCSC in 1947 and served on his College Council from 1953 to 1962. He was a member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba from 1949 to 1958, serving as President in 1952-53 and Treasurer from 1963 to 70. He was also a member of many other organisations, and was President of the Winnipeg Medical Society, the western division of the Canadian Association of Clinical Surgeons, the Defence Medical Association of Canada and the Medico-Legal Society of Manitoba. He was also honorary President of the Manitoba Branch of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Association. He retired as Associate Professor in Surgery from the University of Manitoba in 1962 after 30 years of dedicated clinical teaching and subsequently spent his time as a consultant in surgery, both in practice and with the Worker's Compensation Board until 1975. He published little, but what he did was valuable, notably 'Tumour' in the 24th edition of the *Encyclopaedia Britannica* and *The clinical diagnosis of swellings*, Baltimore, Williams and Wilkins, 1939. He was a dedicated surgeon and teacher, with a great sense of humour matched by his modesty. He recorded that he had won no prizes nor honours during his undergraduate days and that his extra-curricular interests were unremarkable. This was a palpable understatement. He died on 14 July 1979, leaving his wife Viola, whom he married in 1931, and two sons.