Anzac Day photos: Eden's ceremony of remembrance

Leading Eden's Anzac Day march was Captain Ben Hissink RAN and his crew members from HMAS Supply, along with several members of the 5th Engineer Regiment.

Once the march was complete, veterans, service men and women, families, school students and residents of the area joined the catafalque party posted within the Eden War Memorial on Calle Calle Street.

In the distance a stunning ocean backdrop and sunny day lit up the face of onlookers as they stood together, united, in remembrance of all the soldiers who fought for their country.

Of the people who delivered their speeches, several primary and secondary students got up to share heart-felt speeches, commemorating their forbears and the first nations soldiers who fought in conflicts overseas.

Lumen Christi Catholic school students Sophie Martine and Carys Armstrong each got up to share stories about their great-grandfathers who had served in the Australian Defence Force.

Looking back on her speech at the Anzac Day ceremony, Carys said she felt "very proud to represent an important family member".

"I thought it was really nice, I liked all the speeches and all the love they put into the ceremony," she said.

Sophie said she had also felt "very honoured to speak about my grandfather at the Anzac Day service".

Eden Public School leaders, Coby Heron, Lacey Dunne, Tegan Wilson and Jesslyn George-Bartle also got up to make some speeches, as they each took their turn to share a few heart-felt words during the ceremony.

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Eden Marine High School student, Morgan Thornton, commemorated the efforts his grandfather and family had made towards the war.

Morgan also passionately expressed his interest in enlisting in the navy once graduating school.

Eden RSL sub branch secretary Tony Larkings said he had been "very moved" to see the large turnout for not only the march but the dawn service as well.

"A large percentage of Eden turns up to the dawn service and then to the 11am service too, which is a real commitment," he said.

Mr Larkings, a former Army engineer himself, said it was fantastic to see the 5ER returning every year for the Anzac Day ceremony in Eden.

"A lot of them were here for us during the bushfires in 2020, not all the soldiers who come back are the same ones but we have a couple who keep coming back and they've now become members," he said.

Mr Larkings said seeing servicemen join the Eden RSL Sub Branch had been very exciting for them.

"That's what we're trying to do, to get more service personnel to join us and the family it creates, so when they leave the Defence Force they don't have to feel lost," he said.

Mr Larkings said a very unspoken challenge service personnel had to deal with when leaving the defence force, was that they often felt quite isolated.

Mr Larkings said the RSL members were also grateful for the local community's support, as he explained it was a big event to pull off with road closures and all the rest.

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