Marquis Anthony Buttigieg de Piro passed away on 29 May at St James Hospital, Sliema after a brave and often unremitting fight with cancer.

We will remember Marquis Buttigieg de Piro as the gentleman officer who, while balancing demanding responsibilities as general manager and managing director of Hilton Hotel Malta, as vice-president of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, and serving on the Malta Tourist Board and the German Market Committee, found the time to set up, train, equip, command and lead the St John Rescue Corps − Malta GC.

The St John Rescue Corps is unique in the Commonwealth.

It is run and staffed by Maltese officers and volunteers, who without any financial support from any government or organisation, regularly meet at its headquarters and training school in Fort Madalena, Madliena, to be taught the skills of rescue in the case of disasters and emergencies.

It operates as a fully voluntary paramilitary unit under the auspices of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (Order of St John) and has been recognised internationally as a corps of excellence and outstanding achievement.

We will remember Marquis Buttigieg de Piro, not only as a mentor and adviser who always had time to talk and discuss our problems and issues, but also as a leader and as an exemplary commander, who always had the service of mankind as his guiding light.

He gave his all to the St John Rescue Corps, throwing parties at his home, funding events and arranging visits, often at his own expense, to increase the Corps’ profile locally and overseas, and always lending a fatherly ear to the inevitable organisational issues and problems that arose from time to time.

Marquis Buttigieg de Piro founded the Rescue Crops in 1986 – it became fully operational in 1991, and he retired from the helm on 2006, carrying on as vice-president of the Corps until his death.

We will fondly remember him as one of the greatest assets the St John Council and organisation in Malta ever had.

Rest in peace, dear Corps Commander, dear friend and mentor.

Captain Reuben Lanfranco

Commissioner & Corps Commander

Fort Madalena

MADLIENA