Early life David Irving

irving in 1955

irving , twin brother born in hutton, near brentwood, essex, england. father, john james cawdell irving (1898–1967), career naval officer , commander in royal navy, , mother, beryl irving (née newington), illustrator , writer of children s books. irving s twin brother nicholas irving has said david used run toward bombed out houses shouting heil hitler! , statement irving denies.

during second world war, irving s father officer aboard light cruiser hms edinburgh. on 30 april 1942, while escorting convoy qp 11 in barents sea, ship badly damaged german submarine u-456. 2 days later attacked surface craft, , beyond recovery abandoned , scuttled torpedo hms foresight. irving s father survived, severed links wife , children after incident.

irving described childhood in interview american writer ron rosenbaum as: unlike americans, english suffered great deprivations ... went through childhood no toys. had no kind of childhood @ all. living on island crowded other people s armies . according twin, nicholas, irving has been provocateur , prankster since youth.

irving went on rosenbaum negationist views world war ii dated childhood, particularly due objections way adolf hitler portrayed in british media during war. irving asserted sceptical views third reich rooted in doubts cartoonist caricatures of hitler , other nazi leaders published in british wartime press.