Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"Sir Henry Simpson Newland (1873-1969), surgeon, was born on 24 November 1873 at Kensington, Adelaide, eldest son of Simpson Newland and his wife Jane Isabella, née Layton. His early years were spent at Marra station on the Darling River, New South Wales, but in 1876 the family moved to Adelaide. Educated at the Collegiate School of St Peter, Newland studied medicine at the University of Adelaide and graduated, sharing top place, in 1896. In 1902 he was awarded the university's first master of surgery degree.

From 1898 to 1902 Newland undertook postgraduate studies at London Hospital (M.R.C.S. (Eng), L.R.C.P. (Lond), 1898; F.R.C.S. (Eng), 1900); he was surgical registrar in 1901. He observed paediatric surgery at Great Ormond Street and was senior house surgeon for six months at the Poplar Hospital for Accidents. He visited European capitals to observe leading surgeons, commenting sharply upon some. In early 1902 he returned to Adelaide, where he joined the lucrative general practice of Dr R. H. Marten, gaining, incidentally, the benefit of Marten's interest in neuro-surgery. In 1908, following visits to England, Paris and the United States of America, including three months in 'the inspiring atmosphere' of Johns Hopkins medical school, he decided to limit his work to surgery. On 14 July 1910, in his old school's chapel, Newland married Ellen Mary Lindon..." - READ MORE LINK (adb.anu.edu.au)

NEWLAND Sir Henry Simpson CBE DSO

MS MB FRCS FRACS  LRCP

1873-1969

Henry Simpson Newland was born in Adelaide on 24th November 1873. He was the eldest son of Simpson Newland and Jane Isabella, nee Layton. His father was the author of “Paving the Way”, a wealthy property owner and Member of the SA Legislative Assembly. His grandfather had migrated to Encounter Bay in South Australia in 1839. Newland was educated at St Peter’s College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide where he graduated top of his class in 1896. Newland travelled to London in 1898 where he used his prowess as an oarsman in The London Hospital eight to impress Sir Frederick Treves who gave him an appointment as house surgeon at The London. This appointment required Newland obtaining a medical degree registrable in England so he took the conjoint exam passing MRCS LRCP. He subsequently had appointments at The London and The Hospital for Sick Children in Great Ormond Street before returning to Adelaide with his FRCS. He obtained the first MS (Adel) in 1902 and commenced private practice in Adelaide. Subsequently he held surgical appointments at The Adelaide Children’s Hospital and at the Adelaide Hospital (initially as an honorary radiographer).

Newland joined the AIF on 14th November 1914 at the rank of major. He was 41 years old, 5ft 9ins tall and weighed 11 stone. He had married Ellen Mary Lindon in 1910; she was the daughter of his classics master at Saints. He was posted to 1 Australian Stationary Hospital and travelled to Egypt on the Kyarra. 1 ASH landed in Alexandria and were established in the Cairo suburb of Maadi in January 1915. Newland was deployed with Henry Arthur Powell and Joseph Stanley Verco to Ismailia for the first Turkish attack on the Suez Canal.  Subsequently 1 ASH moved to Mudros on Lemnos to support the Gallipoli campaign where Newland saw service on Lemnos, on Hospital ships and at Gallipoli. Sir Frederick Treves visited 1 ASH on Lemnos in May. Newland was described by his CO, Lieutenant Colonel HW Bryant, as one of ‘the best officers any commanding officer could wish to have under him’. He transferred to 1 ACCS in January 1916 and promoted to lieutenant colonel to 3 AGH in November. He was posted to 1 AAH Harefield in January 1917 and served in France with 3 ACCS from March 1917.  Later in 1917 he served at Queen Mary Hospital, Sidcup where he headed the Australian Facio-Maxillary Section. The Australians with their Commonwealth colleagues pioneered the art of plastic surgery in the management of the most horrific traumatic injuries at this hospital. He was Mentioned in Despatches and decorated with a DSO on 1st January 1918 and the CBE on 3rd June 1919.

Newland returned to Australia in 1919 and resumed surgical practice in Adelaide. His interests were principally plastic surgery with additional interests in neurosurgery and thoracic surgery. He was knighted in 1928. Newland was a founder and founding Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and President of the College from 1929-1935. He was President of the South Australian branch of the BMA 1919 to 1921 and President of the Federal Council of the Australian branch of the BMA from 1932 to 1949 and a Vice President of the BMA from 1932 to 1965. He was the Acting Dean of the Adelaide University Medical School during WW2. He was awarded the gold medal of the BMA and subsequently that of the AMA. He was a founder of St Mark’s College, in Adelaide and chaired the council from 1927 to 1954. He was president of the Adelaide Club.  Sir Henry Simpson Newland died on 13th November 1969 and was survived by his wife and two children.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia, who Served in World War 1. 

Verco, Summers, Swain, Jelly. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2014. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD

Biography written by Emma Choi, Loreto College, SA attached as a document. Winning entry for 2022 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize.