The service and march, which included more than 60 historic vehicles in the procession from Puna Road to the local RSL, commemorated the memory of Australian and New Zealand troops on the 103rd anniversary of their landing at Gallipoli.

After the march, which began under heavy rain, the service in front of the Wangi RSL included the traditional last post and a minute of silence.

Ex-serviceman and women, students, SES members, police, NSW Ambulance Service members and NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue members, as well as representatives from the Lake Macquarie City Council, were all on hand to lay wreaths at the cenotaph.

There was also a fly past by the Royal Australian Air Force, timed perfectly with a brief respite from the storms.

Words of commemoration were spoken by Wing Commander Chris Hatch, the commanding officer of the No.1 Security Force Squadron RAAF.

He asked those gathered at the ceremony to remember not only the servicemen and women who Anzac Day is dedicated to, but also the “families and communities who endured the absence of family”.

“As we pause to remember the sacrifice of Australian men and women … in service of our nation, we are reminded of the Anzac traits of endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship lived by these exceptional people in periods of immense hardship,” Wing Commander Hatch said.

“What is often forgotten is the sacrifice and resilience of those who remain at home, particularly the families and communities who endured the absence of family and too frequently their loss.

“Repeated surnames inscribed on the cenotaphs and memorial stones in country towns like Wangi Wangi are testament to how families are affected by war – young men and women choosing to fight together and leaving their communities to grieve their loss.”

The RAAF Wing Commander also spoke of the future of the servicemen and women, and their families, and offered his thoughts on the honour and remembrance of those who would join the spirit of the Anzacs in future times.

“In these uncertain times, there will continue to be those in the community who experience the loss of loved ones, particularly when they continue to be called on by the armed forces to protect our way of life. Their endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship will be tested,” he said.

“I ask, when you pause to remember the commitment of our servicemen and women, you also remember the hardships and loss of the families and communities that support them.”