David Campbell was born in Tongue in 1895, son of Hugh Campbell of Skinnet, Talmine and Barbara Mackay. They were married in Thurso in 1894. He left Melness around 1910 to emigrate to Canada, where he was employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway as a tenderman; he worked beside Donald Munro from Scullomie

On the 8 of January 1915 at the age of 19 years and 4 months, David Campbell joined the Canadian Army in Winnipeg, signing up as a volunteer to serve in the Canadian Forces until the end of the war. Once he had completed his basic training, he was sent as a battlefield replacement to join the 16 Battalion, Canadian Scottish serving with the 1 Canadian Division in France.

In August 1916, the Canadians were moved from the Ypres salient to reserve trenches behind the main battle lines on the Somme, then to relieve the A.N.Z.A.C. Corps in the frontline. The 3 Brigade moved forward in September to support the continuing attacks on Martinpuich and Courcelette, and to attack Regina trench

On Monday the 25 of September, the 16 Battalion occupied trenches on the eastern side of Courcellette, along the Faben Graben and Mouquet Farm track. The Brigade objective was to attack Sudbury trench and Kenora trench, then move into and occupy Regina trench.

The day of their attack, Tuesday the 26 of September 1916 was a fine day, as the Canadian Division charged across the four hundred yards of no mans land to take and occupy Sudbury trench. The 14 Battalion, Royal Montreal Regiment captured the eastern half of Kenora trench, which ran back towards Regina trench.

The16 Battalion then reinforced the Montreal Regiment in Kenora Trench, remaining in that trench until the next day. At 3am on the 27 of September, the Germans attacked Kenora Trench, forcing the 14 Battalion to give ground, in the morning the lost ground was retaken with support from two platoons from the 16 Battalion.

Later that evening the Canadians were forced to withdraw after a heavy enemy counter-attack, an attack by seventy- five men at 2am on the 28 of September failed to take the lost ground. At 6pm, the enemy launched a bombing attack; this was only just stopped before the Canadians were withdrawn to the support trenches.

Lance Sergeant David Campbell was killed in action during the fighting in Kenora and Sudbury trenches between the 25 and 28 of September 1916; he was 21 years of age. (See also Donald Rankine, Melness).