Neck dissections for the treatment of confirmed or potential nodal metastases from head and neck cancer forms a crucial element of the surgical repertoire for a wide range of surgical disciplines. In Australia, neck dissections are performed by specialist general, plastic & reconstructive, ENT and maxillofacial surgeons. And although this procedure is relatively commonplace within the operating theatre, it is important to remember the history behind the giants who pioneered this procedure across the late 19th and early 20th centuries. First descriptions of the neck dissection emerged with prominent 19th century surgeons Billroth, Kocher, Von Langenbeck and Von Volkmann and who described different variations of the early neck dissection. Jawdynsky in 1888 produced the first well documented process for an en-bloc dissection. Following this, in the early 20th century Crile described a series of neck dissections which helped to place neck dissections on the map in surgical oncology as a procedure that was reproducible and effective in the treatment of head and neck malignancy. Moving into the 1950s, Hayes Martin in New York published a landmark paper providing the outcomes of 1450 cases of neck dissection which helped to ultimately define and cement in practice the utility of this procedure in the treatment of head and neck malignancy. Neck dissection in modern day practice forms a critical tool in the treatment of various head and neck malignancies and it is through the early foundations formed by these inspirational surgeons that patients continue to benefit from this life saving procedure. Reference Rinaldo, A., Ferlito, A. & Silver, C., 2008. Early History of Neck Dissection. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 265(12), pp. 1535-1538.