David was born on 4 September 1919 in Southwark, London to Polish born father Benjamin and London born mother Sadie nee Thurim and he had a younger brother Max. In 1921, the family were living at 117 St Georges Road in Lambeth and father Benjamin was listed as working as a dealer. Sadie and Benjamin divorced and she remarried in 1938 to Israel Jaffe, a tailor presser. In 1939, they were living at 53 Blenheim Gardens, London and both David and Max worked as barbers.

David enlisted into the Middlesex Regiment and sadly died on 18 February 1941 at Coltishall in Norfolk. His death certificate states: Drowning through having accidentally fallen into the River Bure at Coltishall whilst endeavouring to find the road in the dark.