F. Vivian Dunn was born on December 24, 1908 in Jabalpur, Central Provinces, British India. He was married to Margery Halliday. He died on April 3, 1995 in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, UK.
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1960 Queen's Honours list before being awarded the K.C.V.O. (Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order of the British Empire) in the 1969 Queen's Honours List for his services to music.
He was Director of Music for the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines from 1931 to 1953. He was Principal Director from 1953 to 1968.
He was awarded the Member of the Royal Victorian Order of the British Empire in the 1939 King's Honours List and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1954 Queen's Honours List for his services to the military and music.
He was elected a Fellow to the RSA in 1988.
He was a Founding Member of the International Military Music Society. He was also President of the International Military Music Society from 1977 to 1995. In 1988, he was installed as the Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.