THE Anzac Day dawn service is a special time for Vietnam veteran Geoff Yeomans to reflect and honour his fellow servicemen.
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Mr Yeomans was an engineer and plant operator with the Royal Australian Engineers.
He served at Nui Dat, a base for the Australian Task Force in Vietnam.
"I attend the dawn service every year to pay my respects to my fellow servicemen and remember what has happened, it's a proud moment," Mr Yeomans said.
On Thursday, April 25 Mr Yeomans was one of about 1000 people who braved the chilly morning to attend the dawn service in Armidale's Central Park.
Retired RAN commander Andrew St Brown, vice president of the Armidale RSL sub-branch, led the service.
Bugler Bruce Meyers played The Last Post and later, Reveille.
"It's an honour to play, I have been doing it for the past 20 years," Mr Myers, representing the second Armidale scout group, said.
As he played Reveille, flags by the side of Memorial Fountain were slowly raised to the masthead, signalling the end of a minute's silence.
Leanne Roobol sang Abide By Me.
It was the 108th Anzac Day commemoration. While the day of remembrance originally marked the landing of Australian and New Zealand diggers at Gallipoli, the day has broadened over time to remember all Australians killed or who served in military operations, past and present.
Reservists Major Andrew May and Captain Aaron Gallagher represented the 12/16 Hunter River Lancers at the service.
These regiments served at Gallipoli and Beersheba and have a museum in Mann Street.
Captain Gallagher had travelled from his home in Brisbane to begin a post at the regiment's Armidale headquarters.
"This is my first time in Armidale and I'm proud to be representing the Reservists here at the dawn service," he said.
A new generation of Australians were also in Central Park to pay homage to those who served for their country.
Schoolgirl Kristi Dixon, 14, was with her friend Talita Craven, 21 and their dogs, Mikey and Tieria.
"Anzac Day is a reminder of what our country has gone through and a way of dealing with the loss," Kristi said.
During the service, wreaths were laid by schoolchildren, businesspeople and community organisations.
SES Inspector Matt Elsley said it had become a tradition for members to attend the dawn service.
"I've been coming to the dawn service for the past 10 years," he said.
Dawn services start the sombre day of commemoration because it was at dawn in 1915 when the first Anzacs landed at Gallipoli Cove.
Over the next eight months, more than 50,000 Australians served at Gallipoli; 620 of those on the first day of landing.
The dawn service was followed by a breakfast for veterans and service personnel at Armidale Ex-services Memorial Club, while dawn services were also held in Guyra and Uralla and a memorial service at Dangarsleigh later in the morning.
Lest we forget.
