Laura Howden has never missed an Anzac Day march with her grandfather Col

Laura Howden has never missed an Anzac Day march with her grandfather Col. Even in 2020 when people were confined to the end of their driveways due to COVID-19 restrictions, this devoted granddaughter made sure her 92-year-old granddad would not miss out.

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LAURA Howden has never missed an Anzac Day march with her grandfather Col O’Brien.

Even in 2020 when people were confined to the end of their driveways due to COVID-19 restrictions, this devoted granddaughter made sure Mr O’Brien, who turns 93 this year, would not miss out.

“We got in granddad’s golf buggy and drove up and down the golf course pretending it was our own personal march because we couldn’t miss out,” Laura said.

“It’s always the highlight of my year.”

When living in Brisbane, Laura would always fly back to be with Mr O’Brien on Anzac Day.

“We’ll never not march,” she said.

Mr O’Brien told the Bulletin he “turned up in 1947” to study a radio course in Ballarat before being posted to Port Moresby.

After the death of a friend in Townsville he was posted back home where he stayed for 10 years in a transmission station before again going back to Ballarat to undertake more radio and radar courses.

He taught radar in Ballarat for three years before he was posted to Malaya.

Anzac Day parade on the Strand in Townsville. Laura Howden with her grandfather Veteran Col O'Brien. Picture: Evan Morgan

When he was discharged in 1969 he worked in a research and development unit before moving back to Townsville as a TV repair man for Chandler’s.

Mr O’Brien then worked for 17 years at the Townsville Teacher’s College when it amalgamated with JCU before retiring at 65.

Originally published as Laura Howden has never missed an Anzac Day march with her grandfather Col