They will lead the veterans group from Dubbo RSL Memorial Club to the cenotaph in Victoria Park for the 11am service.

Descendents will also continue to “fall in with the veterans”.

Dubbo RSL sub branch is charting its own course for Anzac Day with president Tom Gray explaining the order of the march after a commemoration ceremony at Orana Gardens on  Friday.

From 10.30am on Wednesday, serving military personnel will lead marchers along the streets of Dubbo followed by the sub branch president and then the veterans, with women out front.

Mr Gray said serving and ex-servicewomen had received a “lot of flak” for wearing medals.

“Some women are being asked ‘Why are you wearing your father’s medals?’,” he said. “We just want to show that women are serving and have served.”

The president said descendents, required to wear medals on the right-hand side of their chests, were welcome among the ranks of the veterans because they were marching for ancestors.

The order of participants in Anzac Day marches across Australia will vary on Wednesday but not the spirit of them.

It was on show at the Orana Gardens ceremony, especially in the eyes and smile of 102-year-old World War II veteran Joseph Fish.

“It was a very good service,” the man who has rarely missed an opportunity to honour the fallen told the Daily Liberal. “Glad to be here.”

Mr Gray, Dubbo’s 2018 Citizen of the Year, chatted with Mr Fish, learning of his service in Darwin.

“Joe told me about the planes coming in and heading down the coast but how they stopped them,” the sub branch president said.

Mr Gray and fellow sub branch members Bert McLellan, Bill Greenwood, Shaun Graham and Greg Salmon will visit about nine aged care centres and schools in Dubbo before and after  Anzac Day. 

“We go around and do these extra services each year,” Mr Gray said. “It’s good to do this for the community and a lot of the older guys in the sub branch like us to do it and keep the tradition going.” 

More than 100 people turned out to the Orana Gardens ceremony.

Chairman of its board Bruce Henderson said it was one of the ways the facility was meeting the needs of residents.