Edward G. D. (Edward George Downing) Liveing

Born in 1895, Edward George Downing Liveing was a British author and historian whose writing ranged from war memoir to commercial and industrial history. His best-known book, Attack: An Infantry Subaltern's Impressions of July 1st, 1916, grew out of his service in the First World War and offered a striking firsthand account of the opening day of the Somme.

After the war, Liveing built a career beyond the battlefield. Archival and biographical sources describe him as an author and historian, and later references connect him with the BBC, where he held senior regional roles before returning to writing. His books show a clear interest in how institutions and industries grow, including works on publishing, printing, petrol, and insurance.

That mix of personal witness and practical history gives his work a distinctive feel: direct, informed, and closely tied to the world he knew. Although he is not widely read today, his writing remains valuable for readers interested in the lived experience of war and the story of modern British business and media.