David Beattie was born between 1888 and 1891 and was probably the eldest child of David and Elizabeth Beattie, who lived at Burntisland, in Fife, in 1891 and later moved to Dundee. He enlisted in the Black Watch in April 1907 and subsequently transferred to the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) in either late 1907 or early 1908. The Battalion moved from Colchester to Malta in 1911 and was overseas on the outbreak of war in August 1914. It sailed for Britain in mid-September and spent about five weeks at Hursley Park Camp, near Winchester, before embarking in the SS Cornishman for France on 4 November 1914.

The Battalion first went into the line on 14 November, when it took over trenches from the French 156th Regiment south-west of Messines. Between then and 1 March 1915, it carried out a further 17 trench tours, suffering some 50 other ranks killed in action.

On 2 March, 2nd Scottish Rifles marched to Merville to prepare for the forthcoming attack on Neuve Chapelle. The Battalion went into action at 8.05am on 10 March some 700 strong and by 9.30am had lost the majority of the 125 men killed and 344 wounded and missing it suffered before leaving the line on the night of 14/15 March, led by a 2nd lieutenant. 143 ranks, excluding 2nd Lieutenant Somervail and Regimental Sergeant Major Chalmers, paraded the following day to be checked and reorganised.

David Beattie died on 10 March – along with Lieutenant Colonel Bliss, the Commanding Officer – and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial in France as his final resting place could not be found at the end of the war, if indeed his body had been identified after the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. His name is also on the war memorial at the Stobswell Trinity (formerly Wallacetown) Church, Dundee.

Battalion strength and casualty figures are taken from John Baynes; Morale, a Study of Men and Courage, the Second Scottish Rifles at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle 1915; Leo Cooper, 1987.