Chris and Susie Hopkins, from Mount Colah, were among the thousands of people who crowded around Cenotaph Park this morning for the Anzac Day dawn service and march.

A stirring bag pipe band led the march which was followed by a formal service. The service featured speeches, stories from the World Wars, the national anthems of Australia and New Zealand, prayers, recital of The Ode, sounding of The Last Post, as well as the laying of 52 wreaths in front of the park’s war memorial.

The Hornsby RSL Club was rapt with the turnout and said it was the biggest attendance they had seen since the Anzac centenary in 2014.

Vice president Gary Keenan said it was particularly pleasing to see such a large number of children and schools in attendance.

Long-running attendee Mr Hopkins said he was proud to watch his son take part in the march, with the Cadets, and said his family had attended the dawn service for 20 years straight.

He said the freedom Australians had today was largely thanks to those who sacrificed their lives at war.

“We have four kids and we like to think that they will get to enjoy the freedom that we have,” he said. “And we only have that freedom because people like the diggers made that ultimate sacrifice.”

He said it was so important to remember the past not only to honour those who fought but also to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

“We want to make sure that our kids don’t inherit a world at war and part of doing that is remembering the past.”

Mrs Hopkins added both sides of their family had been affected by war. “In both sides there is relatives that fought for our country.”

WAR VETS PAY TRIBUTE TO FALLEN

SERVICES across the region also attracted big crowds to commemorate Anzac Day such as the 7am service at Wahroonga War Memorial, organised by the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia Sydney Northern Sub Branch.

World War II veteran Brian Wright, from Wahroonga, said it was “wonderful” to see his family honoured during the service.

Mr Wright served in World War II with the Royal Australian Air Force (from 1941-1946) and his father, John Wright, served in World War I with the Australian Flying Corps. His father spent three years in Changi as a prisoner of war.

Mr Wright said he was very proud to have four generations of his family on hand during the service which paid special tribute to him and his father.

“I am very proud,” he said. “Eight of my family members are here today from four generations. It’s a wonderful feeling to have them here.”

His great grandchildren Raimie Wright, 12, and Dani Wright, 12, laid a wreath on behalf of the family at the war memorial.