Wallace St was three-deep in places as the community cheered the parade, before massing at the War Memorial in River St for the service.

Special guest speaker was Captain Brooke Swift who spoke passionately of the service of those who had gone before.

“Our defining moment came in 1915 in Gallipoli. A campaign – if not an outright defeat – was certainly not a success,” Capt Swift said.

Watch the march here:

“In August 1914 when Great Britain declared war on Germany, men, young men, some no more than 16 years of age, rushed to join the long queues at Army barracks around Australia.

“Don’t worry they told their mothers, girlfriends and sisters, we’ll be home by Christmas.

“The following year of the morning of April the 25^th these ANZACs prepared to launch themselves at the Turks at Gallipoli.

“Can you imagine the fear, the nervousness, the excitement, the doubts these young Australians felt.

“By the end of that day, 2000 ANZACs lay dead.”

Watch Captain Brooke Swift’s speech here:

As ever, the service at Macksville was emotional, and people of all ages – from veterans to emergency services and scores of school children reflected on the service and sacrifice across the generations.

This afternoon the community was warmly invited to a special lunch at the Macksville Ex-Services Club.