Arthur Sangster was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, the son of Herbert, a lawyer. He was at school at King's College in Windsor before entering Ashby College in Ottawa, and then on to his medical training at Dalhousie University. His early surgical experience was at the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax and then he came to England as resident surgical officer at St James' at Balham where he was influenced by Rodney Maingot. In 1939 he moved to Scotland and developed a military hospital at Turnberry and also at Ballochmyle where he was appointed a consultant at the end of the war. He wrote articles on perforated peptic ulcers and gastrocolic jejunal fistula but was also a natural administrator which became evident on Ayrshire Management boards, and finally as vice chairman of the Western Regional Hospital Board. On occasions his surgical work involved extensive travelling in the Western Isles which he undertook with boundless energy and yet he also enjoyed golf, fishing and shooting. He was a great supporter of the Rotarians and played an active part in helping the crippled child organisation. In 1940 he married Ivy and they had one daughter and two sons.