After returning from South Africa, Livesay was promoted to captain in January 1903 and appointed as an instructor at Sandhurst, serving at the academy between 1904 and 1908. He retired from active service in January 1914 and joined the Reserve of Officers.[1][9]
At the start of the First World War, Livesay was activated from the Reserve, initially serving as a staff officer with the 48th Infantry Division as part of "Central Force", charged with the defence of the United Kingdom. The division was posted to France in 1915 and Livesay was serving near Cassel when he was attached to the New Zealand Division after their service at Armentières. He served with the New Zealanders for 16 months as General Staff Officer 1 (GSO1), the officer responsible to the Divisional Commander Major General Sir Andrew Hamilton Russell for planning and directing training and the conduct of operations. The New Zealand Division's success during the Battle of the Somme was due in part to the outstanding work of Livesay and was recognised by the French with the award of the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the French Republic in May 1917.[1][10][11]
He was again conspicuous in his service at Messines and Passchendaele,[10] before leaving the New Zealand Division to serve as GSO 1 at the American Staff School until March 1918 when he was appointed as Brevetcolonel with the 61st Infantry Division, serving with the division during the German Kaiserschlacht offensive. He was appointed to command 24 Infantry Brigade with the rank of Temporary brigadier general during the last few months of the war.[1]
Livesay served in Germany with the Army of Occupation during 1919, commanding 10th battalion, Royal West Surreys at Lindlar. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1919 Birthday Honours, before returning to the UK in July and taking command of 1 Infantry Brigade at Aldershot. He was awarded the American Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his role training American officers. He retired from the army in September 1921 with the honorary rank of brigadier general.[1][11][12]
Livesay, who had been considered a fine batsman at school and scored centuries both for his school and whilst at Sandhurst, made five Championship half-centuries for Kent and was awarded his county cap in 1896. He also scored 69 runs in a match against Yorkshire at Harrogate which was declared void after the umpires ruled that the pitch had been tampered with after the first days play.[2][17][18] His Wisden obituary described him as an "attractive bat" and that he "fielded admirably".[3]
He played club cricket occasionally into the 20th century, including for St Lawrence, Blackheath and Hythe. He also played occasionally for MCC, including against Dorset in 1908.
Family and later life
Livesay married Margaret Pretyman at Torquay in 1917, taking leave from the army to get married. He died at Magham Down in Sussex in 1946 aged 69.
^ abBrewer ME (2012) New Zealand and the Legion of Honour: The Great War Part 2, The Volunteers: Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, vol.37 no.3.
^The Office of the Adjutant General of the Army (1920) Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal, p.930. Washington: Government Printing Office. (Available online. Retrieved 2020-12-22.)
