Hundreds of people, young and old, gathered in silence in the pre-dawn darkness for the Anzac Day dawn service to remember those Australians and New Zealanders who were killed in military operations.
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Returned veterans followed the Anzac flame as they marched through the darkness to drums from the Orange Ex-Services' Club to the Robertson Park war memorial for the solemn dawn ceremony.
Among those in the parade was retired Army Infantry Corporal John Catterson who stood with other veterans and was supported by his family.
"It's a day that the community can get together and remember those who served starting with those at Gallipoli all the way through to modern conflicts," he said.
"It's great to see a good turnout. We are very lucky that the community is very supportive here in Orange.
"I think it's been getting bigger in the last few years, the 11am turnout is huge."
City of Orange RSL Sub-Branch junior vice president and secretary Roslyn Davidson is a director at Orange Ex-Services' Club and followed several family members into the armed forces and served in the army's Royal Australian Nursing Corp for 10 years.
"My father served, my mother served, my brother served," she said.
She started in Sydney then went to Brisbane and Singapore for three years and back to Sydney.
Among those who laid wreaths was Michelle Schmich who laid a wreath on behalf of her father's grandfather and his father William Schmich junior and senior who served and returned from in World War I and II, as well as her mother's uncles Clarence and Richard Fisher.
Although she attends the dawn service every year, this year she came with her mother Gayl Schmich and laid a wreath for the first time.
"We were very fortunate to meet them," Michelle Schmich said of her serving family members although her mother said her uncles were changed men when they returned.
The family has lived in the region since the 1800s when three Schmich brothers came from Germany and settled at Borenore and several of their descendants from the various branches are represented on the war memorial.
City of Orange RSL Sub-Branch president and trustee Chris Colvin led the solemn service of prayers and hymns and recited The Ode.
Dylan Cregan read Matt's Poem, Private Carolyn Maree read the Warrior Prayer, Liam Leahy and Eliza Kingham from Orange High School sung Amazing Grace, the New Zealand and Australian national anthems and Eliza also sung the hymn Abide With Me.
Nashdale Public School student Joseph Eccleston read the poem Farmer Remembers the Somme, Reverend Gary Neville recited The Lord's Prayer and the Benediction.
Bugle player Derek Johns played The Last Post and following a minute's silence, The Rouse.
Also taking place on Anzac Day:
- The March will start at the Memorial Hall in Anson Street and take place up Byng Street, down Sale Street to Summer Street and finish at Robertson Park. It begins at 10.40am. The Orange City Centre will open its carpark at 9am for people who are participating in or attending the Anzac Day march and service.
- Civic Commemoration The Civic Commemoration begins at 11am and takes place at Robertson Park. Lunch is available to veterans, ADF members and their family at the Ex-Services Club following the service.
- At 5.45pm there will be a Retreat Service at the Orange Cenotaph.
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