In memory of Sir Arnold Wolfendale

On December 21, after a serious long illness at the age of 94, an outstanding scientist in the field of cosmic ray astrophysics and the organizer of science, Sir Arnold Wolfendale, passed away. At various times in his life, Arnold Wolfendale was President of the European Physical Society, President of the Institute of Physics of Great Britain, the 14th Astronomer Royal, etc. He was a great friend of our country, the initiator of the European symposia on cosmic rays. During the Cold War, the concept of organizing symposia supposed holding them in turn in the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, promoting communication and cooperation between scientists from the socialist bloc and their Western colleagues.

The astrophysical group of Altai State University is proud of collaboration with Arnold (as called him almost everyone who knew him). Because of his illness, he could not come to Barnaul for the European Symposium on Cosmic Rays in 2018, but he sent a warm greeting to the participants and was invisibly with us. His name was constantly heard during the discussions and final reports of the symposium.

A talented researcher, brilliant lecturer and storyteller with a great sense of humor, Sir Arnold Wolfendale will forever remain in our hearts as an example of a real scientist who symbolizes the golden age of physics.

In memory of Arnold Wolfendale, we publish a wonderful story about the ceremony of awarding Sir Arnold a knighthood, told by him and filled with his sparkling humor, as well as excerpts from his fascinating lecture dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the discovery of cosmic rays, delivered at the Royal Society of Science in London in September 2012.