Coast’s oldest veteran Tom Picot marches on

AT 101, veteran Tom Picot will miss the Anzac Day dawn service at The Entrance for the first time. But the World War II veteran and Long Jetty RSL sub-branch past president will not miss the march.

Tom Picot, 101, is the oldest war veteran on the Central Coast and is taking part in the Anzac Day march at The Entrance. Picture: Peter Clark

AT THE ripe old age of 101, veteran Tom Picot will miss the Anzac Day dawn service at The Entrance for the first time.

But Mr Picot, a World War II veteran and past president of the Long Jetty RSL sub-branch, will not miss the march.

The Coast’s oldest veteran saw campaigns in the Middle East and New Guinea and survived without a scratch until he was back on Australian soil and felt the brunt of a Japanese bomb in Darwin.

His daughter Marie Bootle said she felt this year may be his Anzac Day swan song as his health is in decline.

“No one has a crystal ball but I do feel like it may be his last,” Ms Bootle said.

“This will be the first time he will miss the dawn service and the luncheon but we’re going to make sure he’s in the march.”

Tom Picot at The Entrance cenotaph in 2008.

He will be joined in the march by four generations of his family at his side.

Mr Picot said the day itself always made him emotional, not only recalling what he had been through but remembering friends and seeing the younger generations appreciate the efforts of our veterans.

“I always feel as though I’m a part of the day,” he said.

“It’s something I look forward to every year.

“The dawn service in particular carries a lot of memories for me.

“I wish I was able to go to the dawn service this year.”

Tom Picot in the march at The Entrance.

Mr Picot is a well-known identity and longtime resident of The Entrance peninsula and his passion for Anzac Day led him to initiate school visits around the region to pass on the message to the younger generations­.

“I just wanted to pass on the importance of the day to the youngsters,” he said.

“It’s important to draw their attention to the sacrifices that were made, if you don’t show them, they won’t be able to follow on the tradition down the track.”

ANIMALS IN WAR

Having been through the rigours of war, he said schoolchildren often asked him about his experiences.

“I tell them that I shot at planes and I also shot at men unfortunately,” he said.

“Ultimately the day stands for freedom and togetherness as a country and that’s how it should be.”

Mr Picot was born in Junee in 1916.