No, not our servicemen and servicewomen, rather the hundreds of children and teenagers that were involved in Anzac Day ceremonies in Dubbo on Tuesday.

While the number of diggers slowly dwindles with each passing year, it is pleasing to see that the commemoration of Anzac Day will continue long into the future through the younger generations.

In Dubbo, while our servicemen and servicewomen sat and remembered their fallen comrades and their toils in combat, youngsters not even old enough to know what they were watching (let alone understand why they were watching it) lined the streets for the march.

And just a few hours earlier, at a time when it’s almost impossible to get most teenagers out of bed, they braved a chilly morning to sit silently and take in the enormity of what our brave military types have been through.

The two ceremonies couldn’t be further apart when it comes to emotion but each is just as important as the other when it comes to the day as a whole.

One is used as a time of reflection, the other as a chance to line the streets and say thank you.

Watching the march it was easy to see the pride in the eyes of those who gave up everything to protect our country and were lucky enough to survive.

Some marched with a steely gaze and their chests puffed out, others took the opportunity to wave to children and adults they may not necessarily have even known.

While  a large portion of that pride is undoubtedly born from the recognition they’re receiving for their bravery, there’s little doubt a tiny part of it is the knowledge that what they fought for will never be forgotten.

By having youngsters in attendance at the dawn ceremony, and watching the march, it ensures the future of Anzac Day for generations to come.

Our children learning about the occasion will keep them coming back to honour year after year, and the hope is they continue that with their families and so on.

To the soldiers from all wars who took part in Tuesday’s ceremonies, we say thank you, and to the families of those who weren’t there we say the same thing.

May we continue to commemorate the occasion long into the future.

Lest we forget.