Andrew Noel McCrea was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on 10 December 1907. His father was a school master. He was educated at Chesterfield Grammar School and was an entrance and foundation scholar to Clare College, Cambridge. He did his medical training at St Mary's Hospital and graduated MB BCh Cambridge in 1933. He was consulting surgeon to Dulwich Hospital (King's College Hospital). He served as a Major in the RAMC. He married Margaret Rudgod in 1939 and they had a son and daughter. His hobbies were entomology and gardening. He died on August 16 1975.