00:01Familiar notes, as powerful as ever.
00:10In the pre-dawn dark, a 26,000 strong crowd honouring the fallen.
00:17We feel them still near us in spirit.
00:21We wish to be worthy of their great sacrifice.
00:25A hundred and ten years after the Gallipoli landings, Canberrans stop to reflect.
00:32The culture of service is, and always has been, the beating heart of our national identity.
00:39But not all service has made the history books.
00:45A smaller ceremony recognised the role of First Nations veterans.
00:49They served at a time when they weren't welcome in Australia.
00:53They served equally and fairly within the Army and within the Defence Force.
00:57Then they came back and they were neglected and forgotten.
01:01All walks of life took part in the Veterans March.
01:05Leading the procession, the Signals Corps, marking 100 years of service.
01:10The Signals community really is the glue that holds everything together.
01:15We work behind the scenes.
01:17It's really special today for us to be recognised for what we do and what we've done over a century.
01:22For some, taking part had extra meaning this year.
01:26I've just come out of hospital from a pacemaker operation and they all promised me they'd make this march.
01:32People have travelled from across the country to attend the commemorations here in the nation's capital.
01:39It's the first time since 2021 the dawn service has been held back on the parade ground after major renovations at the War Memorial.
01:48It's really important to get that tradition going for us, in particular for our age and the next generation as well.
01:54I have these medals from my pa, who was my dad's dad. He served in the Korean War.
02:01Sacrifices aren't all made on the battlefield.
02:05Major Angela Uphill lost her veteran husband to suicide in 2021.
02:11Our children were just four and six years old.
02:15This was not the life we had planned.
02:18But we who are left behind must learn to carry our grief.
02:23And carry the memories of those who never came home.
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