Ed Whitcomb was raised in Oak Lake, Manitoba. He received a BA from the University of Manitoba in 1964, capturing the University silver medals in History and Economics, the Brandon College Faculty Prize and the Honour Society Award. In 1966, he completed an MA at the University of Manitoba in Canadian and European History. He received a Ph.D. from the University of London, England in 1970, published by Duke University Press under the title Napoleon's Diplomatic Service. After teaching History at universities in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Manitoba, he joined the Canadian Foreign Service. He retired in 2009 to work full-time on promoting Canadian history and music.