THEY would be proud to know their memory had been honoured in the way it was this last Anzac Day - those men who gave up their lives on foreign shores and their mates who made it home but were never quite the same again, changed by the impact of the terrible human cost of war.
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Estimates in Orange have put the dawn service attendance at 5000 and the main march and service at between 12,000 and 15,000, which is undoubtedly a record for Orange.
There has been an enormous outpouring of emotion over the sacrifices of Australia's young men and women who went off to war in 1914.
Saturday’s turnout is testament to the depth of gratitude the community feels for those who have gone before, leaving their home and family and sometimes pressured into enlisting only to be confronted by the horrors of war.
There has also been an enormous effort from the community to ensure this 100-year anniversary would be something quite special.
Orange City Council's commitment to upgrading the cenotaph and assisting with funding for breakfast in the CWA Hall, the year-long planning and efforts of the Orange RSL sub-branch, with support from Orange Ex-Services’ Club, the efforts of library staff in researching and publishing online our local war stories, and the many schools large and small who held their own services to highlight the personal war experiences of former students.
Although this year's Anzac Day held a special commemorative experience and significance related to World War I, for others who fought in World War II, Vietnam and conflicts since, the day also holds a special place in their heart. Their sacrifices should not be forgotten.
Underpinning this year’s Anzac commemoration is the incredible and unnecessary loss of life. In Orange our commitment equated to one in eight people either fighting, killed or wounded overseas in World War I - a staggering statistic and one that was all too common Australia-wide.