
Greg Wood. PHOTO: MARK PRICE
One of those there was Greg Wood from Brisbane, living in Wanaka at present, wearing a swag of medals his father earned as an infantryman in World War 2 at places like Tobruk and El Alamein.
Mr Wood said Anzac day was important to him because it recognised the service of an earlier generation.
Mr Wood's father was 19 when he joined up, although the minimum age without parental consent was 21.
He thought he might get his father's signature but "he knew he wouldn't get his mother's signature".
"My old man put his age up two years to get across there.
"He was initially knocked back; walked the block and came back two years older."
He served from 1939 until 1946, a youthful Mr Wood observing his father had obviously survived the war.