Frank Turner has never forgotten shaking hands with Prince Philip and chatting to him at Dubbo.
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The State Emergency Service (SES) member of more than 50 years added his voice to tributes flowing from across the globe to the Duke of Edinburgh, who died on Friday aged 99.
The husband of Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia more than 20 times during his long life, the first time as an 18-year-old midshipman in the Royal Navy during World War II.
Mr Turner recalled being about 21 years old and a member of Civil Defence, the forerunner of the SES, when he met the duke at Dubbo in 1973.
Prince Philip made multiple visits to Dubbo, the first in 1954 with the Queen who was the first reigning monarch to tour Australia.
Civil Defence was involved in training young people taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, and had a display in the Dubbo Civic Centre set up for a royal visit.
"When the duke arrived he walked over to our display, and of course, all the kids disappeared and left me standing there," Mr Turner said.
"He asked me 'what's all this', and stuck his hand out to shake hands.
"I shook his hand, and then explained to him what we were doing, what the equipment was and how the Duke of Edinburgh students went through training and practical experience with communications equipment, and a little bit of a chat, and then he moved on.
"But shaking the hand of that man is a memory I'll have forever, and having a chat with him, yes."
Mr Turner, who is now commander of the Liverpool Plains Shire SES, said Prince Philip seemed "genuinely interested".
He was saddened by the death of the royal who had done "a lot of good for a lot of charities across the world".
"It's a significant moment in history when someone so prominent, so good to the rest of the world passes," Mr Turner said.
"...I expect there are lots and lots of people who have probably even more special memories than mine, mine was a fairly short conversation and a handshake but it certainly made an impression on me."
Anglicans at Dubbo and across the Diocese of Bathurst gave thanks for the life of Prince Philip, and prayed for the Queen and her family, at services on Sunday.
Australians have sent thousands of condolence messages online via the government website pmc.gov.au, which will be forwarded to Buckingham Palace.
Prince Philip's "quirky sense of humour" stood out to Cath Jeffery during a royal walkabout at Dubbo in 1992.
On Sunday she recalled the day she had gathered with a crowd at the rotunda in the city's centre for the arrival of the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
At the time Mrs Jeffery was an employee of RSL Bodyline.
"I remember Carol stayed behind and minded the gym and we all walked down [to the rotunda]," she said.
"...We were standing there and they were doing their walkabout, and [the Queen] went to the left-hand side and [Prince Philip] came across to the right-hand side.
"I think it was that classic, you try to remember all your etiquette, and everything like that.
"And I just spoke to him, and he just turned and he was like 'do you know who I am?' and I said 'of course I know who you are'.
"It was really funny, because he said 'most people just recognise her' or 'most people just know her'.
He had that quirky sense of humour, I suppose.
- Cath Jeffery
"He had that quirky sense of humour, I suppose."
Mrs Jeffery, now a teacher at Inverell, said she was saddened to learn of the duke's death, saying she'd never known England without the Queen.
"So, I wouldn't consider myself young, and you talk about duty and stuff like that, I think [Prince Philip] was a pioneer in that respect, in terms of supporting his wife," Mrs Jeffery said.
"And in those days, that didn't happen, and especially because he was such a man's man as well, I think that's a huge kudos."
The duke's passing was marked with a 41-gun salute in Canberra on Saturday, in keeping with tradition being observed by other Commonwealth nations.
Flags were flown at half mast across the country and will be again next Saturday for Prince Philip's funeral in the UK.
As NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott paid tribute to the duke on Friday, he said he would be asking all NSW Police and Emergency Services to fly flags at half-mast for the next week in honour of His Royal Highness.
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