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DURING the 1920s and 1930s a handful of people gathered each year at the Dubbo cenotaph for the first Anzac Day dawn services
The growth of the service was recognised on Saturday morning when thousands of Dubbo residents gathered to mark 100 years since the very first landing at Gallipoli by our Anzacs.
Over 20,000 men enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces. One-fifth of those came from country districts including those who had enlisted from Dubbo. Dubbo's population numbered around 5000.
Speaking at the service Geoff Mann recognised those who had gone off to war and paid the ultimate sacrifice.
"Farmers, professional service men, people who worked as ordinary citizens in the town of Dubbo and the villages around.
"Men who gave freely so that we could, through the ages come here today, side by side and hand in hand."
"They gave us their tomorrow, so that we could have today."
- RSL Sub-Branch president Tom Gray
Gathering at the cenotaph to mark the occasion were those same people, farmers, professionals, ordinary people.
Those in strollers too young to know what was going on around them, teenagers, mothers, fathers and those that have seen other wars in the past.
Hundreds from the Anzac Day Sleep Out were also at the service, having woken to the sounds of the Reveille calling them to the new day at 4am.
For the large crowd the haunting strains of the Last Post were played as the sun rose over the gathering.
Dubbo RSL sub-branch president Tom Gray spoke to the gathering about the day that was almost upon them as the sun broke through the night.
"What will this day bring for each one of us? I suppose they felt like that, the men and their families, all those at Anzac Cove and those involved in World War Two and later conflicts.
"The pure dawn, the time of preparation. For them of course it was all so unpredictable, so uncertain, so little to be sure off.
"I wonder what their thoughts were, all those service men and women, all those others involved in the war. I wonder what their thoughts were in the pre-dawn awaiting this new day.
"We all have a right to this day.
"They paid a price of sacrifice, so that we can now enjoy this coming new day in peace and plenty and freedom," Mr Gray said.
"They gave us their tomorrow, so that we could have today."
Do you have a photo from the Anzac Day Dawn Service? Email it to lpinkerton@fairfaxmedia.com.au