Donald was educated at Blair Atholl Public School, Pitlochry Higher Grade School, where he won the County Council Bursary, George Watson's College, and Edinburgh University. He was a student of Arts and Medicine from 1906 - 1913, qualifying M.A. in 1910 and M.B., Ch.B in 1913. He also gained the Macdougal Bursary and Vans Dunlop Scholarship. During his university career he was associated with the E.U.O.T.C. and the Musical Society. He was a keen golfer, and for several years was a member of the Edinburgh Northern Hockey Club. In 1914, when war was declared, he was House Surgeon at Sheffield Royal Hospital. He gained a commission within the R.A.M.C. at the rank of Lieutenant on 16th December 1914 and became the Medical Officer for the 2nd Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment. He entered the war in France in January 1915. He was killed whilst going to help a wounded man. An officer of the 2nd East Yorks Regiment wrote: “He was only with me a short time, but it is no exaggeration to say that he left behind him not mere acquaintances, but real friends, who mourn his loss more than I can tell you. He lived always in the same billet with me and the headquarters staff, and shared all our rough food, delicacies and hardships just as they came, and for my part I find he has left a blank that will take a long time to fill. He met his death going up to the front to help a wounded man. A stretcher-bearer was with him at the time, and as they crossed an open space they came under the fire of the enemy in a house some 200 yards away, and both were shot dead.” Donald was the 3rd son of John and Isabella McBeath Campbell of Fincastle, Blair Atholl, Perthshire.