Scott Jones of Newcastle is part of a younger generation of veterans who took time out of their day on Thursday to remember fellow service persons lost during conflict.
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"It's a good way to pay our respects to the diggers. It's not about us it's about them," Mr Jones said.
After a decade of service with the Australia Army including deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, Mr Jones served his last two years in the RAAF. He told the Newcastle Herald days like Remembrance Day are as important now as they have ever been.
"I feel like the Australian spirit was a little bit compromised during COVID to be honest. I think that we didn't stick together as a nation," he said.
"Now that its starting to wind up hopefully we can come back together for days like today and ANZAC Day."
Holding two-year-old son Chase in his arms, Mr Jones said engaging future generations in the legacy of remembrance is crucial.
"It's also about showing the next generation the sacrifices that the diggers made and how important it was so that we can live the life we do today."
City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch Acting President Ken Fayle was master of ceremonies for the remembrance event in Civic Park.
"We remember the sacrifice made by so many for the world to be a better place," Mr Fayle said in his opening remarks.
"The tradition of remembrance day was started after World War I. At 11a.m. on the 11th of November 1918 the guns on the Western Front, in Belgium and in France fell silent after more than four years of warfare."
During the ceremony Mr Fayle delivered a poem to those gathered to pay their respects.
"In preparing for today I came across a poem by a fourteen year old lad in the UK written in 2019 as part of a school project. He called it One Thousand Men Are Walking."
Following the poem, Mr Fayle addressed the role of young people in upholding "freedoms" earned in war.
"It has become apparent that as anyone under twenty five gladly proclaim their rights all too often they forget that with the exercise of those rights come responsibilities," he said.
"So many rights are actually privileges and we have to protect them."
Kevin Claydon who is father of federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said he was "moved" hearing the poem and knowing that young people are engaging in remembrance.
"I think it's wonderful, I'm absolutely thrilled to bits to hear that sort of thing," Mr Claydon said.
"Because a lot of people made a lot of sacrifices in all the dreadful wars we've been in and it's good to see their memory honoured."
Mr Claydon said he served in Vietnam as part of the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
"I spent most of my time with my own rifle company which was D company seventh battalion."
A "proud" day for him, Mr Claydon said he takes time to remember the sacrifice of those he served with and appreciates how fortunate he is to be alive today.
"Today means a tremendous amount to me," he said.
"There's a lot of sad situations but also happy ones when I realise that here I am in my eighties still walking around when a lot of my mates that I served with never even got to come back home."
Mr Claydon also discussed the impact coming out of COVID lockdown had on veteran comradery.
"Hallelujah. It's good to be able to have veterans come and visit us at Wallsend again."
Sharon Claydon MP, whose grandfather and father are both veterans, said Remembrance Day means a lot to her personally.
"It's a really poignant occasion to be here with my father because it reminds me how fortunate I was to have him return," Ms Claydon said.
"It also reminds me as a parliamentarian of the moral obligation to ensure we look after veterans upon their return because the scars and trauma of war don't stop when you come home."
Ms Claydon said ceremonies like Thursday are important for those who have been alone during COVID.
"There are many members of the community feeling lonely and isolated but I am acutely aware of veterans in that space," she said.
"I think we should never underestimate the importance of public ceremony."
During his address Ken Fayle spoke about the role of the community on remembrance day.
"It's been one hundred and three years since the end of hostilities in World War One," he said.
"It's time for all people to take a good look around and see how they can help keep the continued freedoms we all enjoy today without endangering the community and the country."
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