Noel Curtis Newton was born on 28 June 1917 at Ashfield, Sydney, Australia. His father was a pharmacist. He was educated at St Joseph's College and Sydney University. He qualified in 1941. He had poliomyelitis at the age of three years, which left him partly paralysed in one leg, and prevented him from going on active service; but he joined the AAMC and served as Captain. In 1944 he took the MS Sydney and the same year became FRACS. He came to England in 1948, was an assistant on the professorial unit at University College Hospital with Robin Pilcher and obtained the FRCS in 1948. He returned to Australia and was appointed to the staff of St Vincent's Hospital, Mater Misericordiae Hospital and St Joseph's Hospital. He was a most skilful technician, relaxed and gentle, and to watch him operate was said to be 'like watching Bradman bat'. Whilst a general surgeon he specialised in the surgery of the head and neck. He served on the Council of the Royal Australian College and was on the Court of Examiners. He was married and had a family. He died on 29 June 1974.