David Dulley was born in Wellingborough, Northants., the youngest son of David and Gertrude Dulley. His father was a brewer and county councillor. In 1901, David Junior was a farm pupil in Huntspill, Bridgwater, Somerset, but by 1903 he was working for Benjamin Carter in Wickhamford. He was still a farm pupil, at Field Farm, Longdon Hill. In December 1903, David Dulley appeared at Evesham County Sessions accused of assaulting William Lee, a gamekeeper of Bunkers Hill Farm, Bengeworth, who was working for Mr Carter at the time. He was found guilty and fined £2 and £1 4s 6d costs.
In 1910 he married Helen Maud Beall Carter in Croydon, Surrey and they had a son in 1912. At the 1911 census he was farming in Horsham, Sussex. He joined the Northamptonshire Regiment in November 1914 but left the Army on 9th January 1915, according to a notice in the London Gazette. At that time his rank was temporary 2nd Lieutenant. No details of his service have been found, nor the reason for his leaving the Army. It may have been health related as died in Seaford, Sussex, on 10th December 1915, aged 35.