THOUSANDS of cars drive past Lone Pine Avenue on the Mitchell Highway every day but rarely does anyone spare a thought to the street’s namesake - the lone pine.
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Yesterday the huge tree was the centre of attention when a small but dedicated group of nine RSL members began the annual pilgrimage to the cemetery to pay tribute to Orange’s lost war heroes.
Orange is one of few Australian towns to have a tree grown from a seed brought back from the original lone pine in Gallipoli.
Former RSL sub branch president Brian Merchant said the pilgrimage had been done every Anzac Day since 1947.
“It’s one of the smallest [pilgrimages] for a few years,” he said.
“Most of the other blokes know it’s my last year but their not greatly worried that’s why we’re trying to get the younger generation involved.”
Kevin Lenaghan led the proceedings at the pilgrimage’s first stop at the historic tree where the RSL members observed a minute’s silence.
A wreath was laid at the second stop at a descendant of the tree near the crematorium.
At the third stop, at the crematorium memorial wall, Mr Merchant paid tribute to three lieutenant colonels whose ashes were placed in the wall.
Twelve-year-old bugler Lachlan Cisco played the last post and the reveille.
The pilgrimage then made its way to the final stop at the cemetery where the Australian flag flew at half mast to commemorate the returned servicemen and women buried in Orange.
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