In the crowd were plenty of veterans and proud family members, each with unique stories of service and mateship. 

Vietnam veteran Warren McLaughlin said he drove for three days so he could march with his son Troy in Junee.

“Every year I drive 1100 kilometres from Sunnyside, which is up at the border of Queensland, so I can march with my son here in Junee,” Mr McLaughlin said. 

Mr McLaughlin and his son marched alongside fellow veteran Phil McKay, who said he joined the army 51 years ago as an engineer. 

“I had my 50-year reunion here last year, and I wanted to come back and march this year,” Mr McKay said. 

“Every year that ends in a three or an eight, we have a big reunion over in Wagga, but this year I rang a few of my close mates and a lot of them said ‘I can’t come, I’ve got doctors’ appointments’ – it changes as you get older.”

The veterans marched from Memorial Park at 10.30am, stopping for a two-minute service in Railway Square before continuing on to Broadway where a moving full service was held. 

They were joined by representatives from community groups all over Junee Shire, including parties from every school in Junee, the Volunteer Rescue Association, the Rural Fire Service, and even Junee RSL Pre School, to name a few.

Among the procession were also the proud family members of veterans who had since passed away, many wearing their ancestors’ medals with pride.

Junee’s Damien Smith represented his grandfather, who served in Papua New Guinea, and shared a story that showed his family’s proud history of service to their country. 

“It turned out my uncle was also there serving at the same time as my Pop, but they didn’t know until they both returned home later,” Mr Smith said. 

As the veterans and their families marched, members of the community lined the streets, cheering and waving Australian flags to show their appreciation. 

The march concluded at the Broadway cenotaph, where the large crowd gathered for a moving service led by president of the Junee RSL Sub-Branch John Robertson.

Mr Robertson thanked the community for honouring Diggers past and present with their attendance and with tireless work on a huge handmade poppy memorial. 

“We had a fantastic crowd at our dawn service, and now we have a great crowd for our main service,” he said.

“To my right, you will see a lamp post with poppies on it as a tribute to the Diggers of World War One – there are over 3000 poppies, each one hand-knitted or crocheted by the people of Junee Shire, and each one is as unique as the men and women it represents.” 

Junee Shire mayor and bush poet Neil Smith followed, reciting a poem he had written specially for the occasion titled The Message. 

“I’ve written a poem myself for today – I started it yesterday and finished it this morning, so it’s hot off the press,” Cr Smith joked.

“Such a tragic, awful loss of life rippling down the generations, still today we feel the pain from fighting other nations,” the poem read.

“Man has fought and killed through eons, sad to say, and it seems to me that he’ll go on until he’s blown himself away.

“I worry some world leaders, a term I loosely use, are spreading more poor messages, testosterone-filled views.” 

Lieutenant Michelle Barker of the Navy then gave a special address, urging the community to reflect on the meaning of sacrifice. 

“It is great to be in my hometown, a town that means so much on a day that is very dear to all of our hearts,” Lt Barker said. 

“Today, we come together not to celebrate of glorify war, or our military traditions, but to remember those who have fought and sacrificed for our county.

“As we remember those who sacrificed so much, we also remember that it’s our obligation now in the peace we have here in Australia to take our nation, our community, our culture, and our democracy forward, always remembering the hard learned lessons of the past.”

Lt Barker concluded her address with a simple yet powerful message for the whole community. 

“As I look around today, I see many bright futures – please be kind to each other, and, in the true Anzac spirit, look after your mates,” she said. 

Countless residents were involved in the special service, including bugler Shane Logan, the Junee North Primary School choir, and Kurly Nathan and Caitlyn Davis, who sang the New Zealand and Australian national anthems respectively.