David Edward Trickett was born on 12 February 1899 at Albert Villa, 118 Albert Street, East Melbourne. He was the son of Edward Arthur (known as Arthur) Trickett and his second wife, Marion Elsie, the daughter of the Rev. D. Meadowcroft of the East Melbourne Congregational Church.  Arthur had inherited Albert Villa from his first wife, Harriett, who had died as a result of childbirth in 1896.  Harriett had inherited the house from her father, Thomas Wright, a contractor who had built the house for himself in the mind-1860s.  The house remained their home until their deaths in the 1940s.  David's Trickett grandparents, Edward and Henrietta, also lived in East Melbourne, at 2 Lansdowne Street, Edward in his early days in England had been a Baptist minister, but on settling in Melbourne had become a saddler.  Two of David's aunts lived at 2 Lansdowne Street for several decades.  One, Eveline Agnes Trickett, was  a teacher at Presbyterian Ladies' College of 42 years. On her death in 1926 the school dedicated a memorial tablet to her memory.  the other, Ellen Trickett, was an artist, and took classes at the house.

David was educated at Scotch College and passed his final exams in 1916.  He went on ot study law at Melbourne University but enlisted before finishing.

On enlisting on 13 Febrary 1918, the day after his nineteenth birthday, David stated that his military experience was four years with the Senior Cadets, Area 64B, East Melbourne, and seven months with the Melbourne University Rifles.  He was 5ft 8.5ins, had a sallow complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.  He was appointed to the Reccruit Depot Battalion at Broadeadows.  He embarked on 31 August 1918 on HMAT Barambah with the 11th Reinforcements (Vic), as a private.  In England he was attached to Reninforcements 14 Battalion.  He remained on duty in England, at Park House and Codford through the rest of 1918 and was in London in 1919 during which time he attended Pitman's School, Southampton Row, London.  He left England for return to Australia on 22 November 1919 and was discharged on 1 February 1920.

Back in Australia he returned to the family home in East Melbourne and resumed his law studies as a resident at Queen's College.  He applied to be admitted to practise at the end of 1923 and the following year moved to Terang which was to remain his permanent home.  In 1925 he married Muriel Cust and they had three children.