The Boer War ended 115 years ago but time was no deterrence for descendants and residents who gathered at a memorial service in Robertson Park on Sunday.
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Twenty seven people commemorated the men and women from the district who served in South Africa between 1899 and 1902.
Among those in attendance was Charlie Everett whose grandfather Henry Everett served in the war, as well as four descendants of George Rauchle who served in the Boer War, Sudan, World War I and volunteered for the national defence in World War II.
Orange councilor Reg Kidd said 23,000 Australians went to the war which began when Australia consisted of separate colonies but ended after Federation.
Cr Kidd said 1000 Australians died during the war, the highest number aside from World Wars I or II.
Among the dead were four men from the Orange area.
Cr Kidd said Orange started holding Boer War memorial services in 2010 and had nurses as well as volunteer fighters go to South Africa.
“We were the first town or city to have a Boer War memorial service like we’ve got here,”
Troop sergeant for the 4th Light Horse, Reg Golding laid a wreath at the service and described the Boer War as the start of Anzac due to Australian and New Zealand troops fighting side-by-side.