The Anzac spirit was remembered at services across West Gippsland on Friday with thousands of people turning out from dawn to afternoon to commemorate the 110th anniversary of a day that "shaped our nation."

While the popularity of dawn services continued to grow, the significance of services held at community cenotaphs could be seen in the large crowds gathered at mid-morning and afternoon services led by local RSL branches.
Hundreds attended the Warragul dawn service led by Warragul RSL president Lynn Mizen who said it was 110 years since the Anzac spirit was born on the shores of Gallipoli - "a moment in our history that shaped our nation."
"We stand in awe of their courage, their endurance, their mateship and selflessness and we pay tribute to their memory.
Ms Mizen said the significance of the dawn service was linked to the historic landing at Gallipoli, when soldiers were woken an hour before dawn.
She said the campaign was a disaster but that day helped define what it meant to be Australian - "to never give up, to fight with all your body, mind and heart, and to never forget your mates."
"Anzac Day matters not only because of the stories that were recorded but because of the stories that went unrecorded," she said.
The younger generation was out in force to pay tribute at Warragul's morning service, which featured a flyover.
The service began with a march to the cenotaph featuring about 70 veterans as well as family members proudly wearing medals of loved ones. Led by six bagpipers, the veterans were followed by two military vehicles, emergency service personnel, bands, school children as well as scouts and guides.
Hundreds of children were amongst the large crowd gathered to commemorate Anzac Day, with 14 local schools laying wreaths. Veterans groups, emergency services, community groups, Member for Narracan Wayne Farnham, Baw Baw Shire and community members also laid wreaths to start proceedings.
Noting the importance of educating younger generations, Ms Mizen said the day was a chance to remember and recognise the sacrifice of all servicemen and women, particularly the 76 young men from Baw Baw Shire who died at Gallipoli.
Ms Mizen highlighted the story of William Michael Nelson, a sawmill worker from Erica who was 21-years-old when he enlisted in 1915.
Born in Walhalla, William fought on the Western Front in France. He was evacuated after suffering a severe gunshot wound to his left leg in 1917. Upon recovering, he returned to the trenches in 1918. He was later discharged as medically unfit.
William returned to the district, married and lived in Moe. He worked for the Victorian Railways before farming at Tetoora Road and later joined the SEC.
An active member of the Warragul RSL, William died in 1968 at Yallourn Hospital at the age of 75.
Guest speaker Brent Wilson, a veteran who served as a cook from 1988 to 2020, told the story of his "Grandad Harry" who fought at Gallipoli and in the Middle East in the New Zealand forces.
"I'm very proud to be a descendant of a Gallipoli soldier," Mr Wilson said. "He served his nation because he wanted to...he just signed up which is something quite brave."
Ironically, after becoming a cook, he learnt that his granddad Henry Hartley Wilson had seconded as a cook whilst serving as a sapper in a mounted battalion.
Learning of his experiences via diaries as he rarely spoke of war, Mr Wilson told the crowd of his grandad's arduous journey to Egypt, harrowing wait to answer the call to Anzac Cove and the "baptism of fire" awaiting their 10pm arrival at Waterfall Gully. This was compounded by trauma experienced at the death of his best mate.
Standing only 165cm tall, one significant battlefield moment came when he galloped a horse under enemy fire to lay a communication wire.
A large crowd of locals marched through the main street of Drouin towards the cenotaph and Memorial Park as part of the town's morning Anzac Day service.
Marching from the Bendigo Bank carpark, community groups including the Drouin First Scouts, Drouin CFA, Drouin Girl Guides and numerous school groups marched in time to the music of the Salvation Army Band, before joining hundreds of other locals gathered for the main service.
Local author the Reverend Jim Connelly was guest speaker. His speech focused on the message and strength of the Anzacs and how we can embody that spirit in our everyday lives.
Rev Connelly said the Anzac message could be broken down into four key points: fortitude in adversity; loyalty to mates; courage in danger; and self sacrifice.
Drouin Secondary College school captain Chloe Dignan recited the poem "For the Fallen" before Drouin RSL president Rob McNab led the group in "The Ode".
A bugler from the Salvation Army Band played "The Last Post" and "Reveille" while Drouin Secondary College captains raised the flags.
Wreaths were laid by a number of local groups and schools, including Drouin Rotary, Legacy Central Gippsland, the CWA, Baw Baw Shire Councillors and Ambulance Victoria's Drouin Branch.
To conclude the service, Drouin RSL vice president Mick Irwin re-presented president Rod McNab with life membership to the Victorian RSL which was earlier presented to him at the dawn service.
Close to 500 people attended Trafalgar's main service at 11am in what was one of the town's largest yet, following a dawn service attended by about 350 people.
As in past years, the service began with the traditional march down Contingent St accompanied by live music from the Latrobe Community Concert Band.
Trafalgar Thorpdale RSL president Jim Crowe paid tribute to the 110th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli and the more than 50,000 that served over an eight-month period in the area.
"Today we honour our Anzac heroes," he said.
Reverend Dean Spalding spoke about the importance of remembering those who fought for Australia, and noted the many soldiers who died without being identified.
He also spoke of the difficulties those returning from wars faced.
Trafalgar Thorpdale secretary Paul Altamore read aloud the names on the Trafalgar cenotaph, before unveiling a new plaque for Frederick Steven Reagan with his family.
Members of the RSL also paid tribute to their friend and committee member Chris Johnson who died recently.