An Australian soldier who grew up in Orange has called on people not to forget Anzac Day on Saturday despite the coronavirus restrictions stopping all the usual services and ceremonies.
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Corporal Ben Duffy, who is based in Brisbane after two tours of duty to Afghanistan, said it was important people still paused to remember the servicemen and women who fought for their country including the original Anzacs in World War I.
"Don't forget what happened," he said.
"It's a good way to educate people what did happen."
The RSL has encouraged people to participate this year by standing at the end of their driveway at 6am for a minute's silence and has also asked musicians who know how to play The Last Post and Reveille to perform them on whatever instrument they were proficient.
Corporal Duffy said people could also remember Anzac Day at other times during Saturday.
It still holds a very significant spot with me because I have served my country.
- Corporal Ben Duffy
"If you sleep in still spare a thought for them," he said.
He said he would miss his usual Anzac Day routine, which started with a dawn service in the barracks before heading to the Brisbane CBD for the march and later uniting with family and mates.
"I'm pretty empty. Normally I spend it with my mates with a service at the barracks and then get dressed and go into town," he said.
"One of your proudest moments is actually [marching] through the city.
"It still holds a very significant spot with me because I have served my country."
Corporal Duffy grew up in Orange and joined the defence force in 2008.
He completed two tours of duty to Afghanistan in 2012 and 2015, which included spending one Anzac Day in Afghanistan.
Corporal Duffy said Anzac Day was an opportunity to catch up with family members.
His father, Orange City councillor Kevin Duffy, said he was disappointed he and wife Sandra could not be in Brisbane for this year's commemoration, which they regularly attended.
"We had planned to leave [on Thursday] to go to Brisbane for the march," he said.
Instead, he said he was planning his own dawn service at home to commemorate Anzac Day.
Cr Duffy said his family had a long association of serving in the Australian armed services.
They included his mother's uncles, Lawrence and Theodore Worthington, who fought in France and Belgium in WWI and his mother's brothers, Hughie and Max Worthington, who were in the Middle East in WWII.
Cr Duffy said his father, also named Kevin, fought in Bougainville in New Guinea in WWII.
He said he was proud of his son's military career.
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