[2] Newitt was born in London and started working as an assistant chemist for Nobel in Scotland.
In the First World War, he served in the East Surrey Regiment and was awarded the Military Cross.
[3] In 1921, he gained a first class Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the Royal College of Science in London, and went on to postgraduate studies in chemical engineering at Imperial College, London.
During the Second World War, he was scientific director [4] of Special Operations Executive responsible for the development of technology for sabotage and espionage.
[3] He married Aliex Schaeffer in 1919, but she died in childbirth in 1923, and the baby was stillborn.