D. A. S. Campbell was born at North Sydney and educated at Tudor House, Moss Vale, after the family moved there in 1903. Campbell boarded at Scots College, Sydney, between 1912 and 1916. But, after failing his university entrance examinations, he completed a three-month wool-classing course at Sydney Technical College, initiating his long career in the Australian wool trade.
Campbell joined the AIF in 1918, serving in Egypt and France before returning to Melbourne. Here he became a wool-buyer for Sims, Cooper and Co. in 1922. He remained with the company until his retirement in 1963, building a significant reputation that saw him contribute to wool-trade policy and education.
Widely read in politics and economics, Campbell was the founding director of the Australian Institute of Political Science, an appointment he held until 1960. In addition, he was editor of the institute's journal, Australian Quarterly from 1934 to 1959. During Campbell's long term the Australian Quarterly printed many significant articles on Australian literature. His influence on this is signalled by the significant drop in the number of literary topics after his retirement in 1959.
Campbell continued to act as advisor to the wool-trade in his retirement. He died of a heart attack while driving his car on 1 September 1970.
