Generations united to pay tribute to Australian and New Zealand troops this Anzac Day in Coleambally.
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Residents of all ages from Darlington Point and Coleambally marched in a parade on Wednesday morning, followed by a service at John McInnes square.
Coleambally Darlington Point RSL Sub Branch President Eddie Rooks said the crowd seems to be growing each year.
“This morning we’ve had probably the biggest crowd at a dawn service that we’ve ever had,” he said.
“Today, we had a lot of school children involved. It’s getting bigger every year. It’s fantastic.”
He says he feels more young people understand the Anzac legacy, especially through learning about it at school.
“They’re beginning to understand what really understand what really went on and they’re getting involved.”
For many Australians, Anzac Day is one of the most important days of the year. Mr Rooks says it’s a time to reflect on the sacrifices made.
“Quite simply, we wouldn’t be where we are today without that service,” he said.
“We think of the guys that lost their lives, but there are also those guys who came back with all sorts of medical conditions.”
Following the march, the community joined together for the annual Anzac service.
St Peter’s Coleambally captains Oscar Bellato and Linda Clarke each took part in the ceremony with a reading.
A speech by Coleambally Central School captains George Payne and Tom Breed reflected on the history and spirit of the Anzac tradition.
The dawn service was led by Coleambally Darlington Point RSL sub-branch member Ken Martin, who started the service.
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He says the significance of the dawn service goes back many years.
“It has it’s significance in army days and right up until this day even, where dawn was the favoured time for the enemy to attack, so we were normally up early and ready for anything that may come at us,” he said.
“The service honours that time frame and it just continues.”