Respectfully watching the commemoration ceremony at the Cenotaph was an unassuming man whose contribution to Anzac Day is valued both in Merriwa and in Sydney.

John Penninger has been a business owner based in Merriwa, cultivating herbs and spices since 1991, and explained his involvement with Legacy – a charity providing services to Australian families suffering after the injury or death of a spouse or parent during or after their defence force service.

“Back in about 1993, I started planting rosemary here at the Merriwa cenotaph – I didn’t ask permission,” he said.

“Now we have both of the local schools, the local sports and RSL clubs, council and fire brigade and some other community locals all growing rosemary. 

“We in Merriwa have been providing rosemary to Legacy since 1993 and, last year, provided more than 90 per cent of the rosemary used by Legacy, allowing them to raise over $100,000.”

Shortly after the commemoration’s end, and not far from where Mr Penninger stood, I saw a group of tourists still standing by the Cenotaph.

Vicki Blackwell spoke on behalf of her group and proudly told of their relative who served our nation. 

A Merriwa local, whose life, like the lives of many around him, was tragically and prematurely cut short on the battlefield.

“We had gathered to honour the memory of our Great Uncle Wilfred Skinner Witney who was killed on the Western Front in World War 1 on the 29th of April, 1918 (100 years ago),” she said.

“He’s buried in the town of Frenchencourt near Amiens, France in the Australian War Graves Section.”

I started walking towards the RSL Club and emerging from the Merriwa Bakery, with his hot meat pie, was another visitor to Merriwa, Michael (Mike) Weldon, who was also keen to share his story.

“I grew up in Portsmouth (UK), served for 10 years in the Royal Marines Commando, joining on the 2nd of November, 1960, and performed two tours of duty to Saudi Arabia (each lasting 12 months),” he explained.

“It was in my time in the Marines that I became best mates with a man I came to honour today.”

Mr Weldon is in his 70s but is in fine physical health – almost rudely so. 

He looks far younger than he is and deftly pointed to the memorial plaque at the Merriwa RSL Club, celebrating the name of Sergeant G T Watson.

“We were absolute best mates in the Marines,” he said.

“He eventually left and joined up with the Royal Australian Regiment. 

“I helped him at an earlier Anzac Day march in Merriwa where I was proud to have pushed him in his wheelchair all the way from the RSL Club here in Bettington Street, up to the cenotaph and back again.

“I’ll always remember him.”

By this time Mr Weldon’s pie was getting cold, so I said goodbye and ventured inside the RSL Club to meet up with Merriwa local and Vietnam War veteran Tony Marshall.

Amid the hum of the lunch time Anzac Day gathering, he was leaning quietly against a bench, thoughtfully surveying the crowd and enjoying his beer.

“When I joined, my dad simply said; ‘Keep your head down and don’t volunteer for anything’ and my mum said; ‘Oh no! Not another military maniac in the family’.”

Mr Marshall served with the Australian 12th Field Artillery Regiment and completed two 12-month tours of duty in Vietnam where he modestly explained 90 per cent of his time was spent being bored with the remaining 10 per cent being (expletive) scared.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the battle of Coral-Balmoral – a series of battles involving the 1st Australian Task Force and the North Vietnamese 7th Division and Viet Cong units, in May and June 1968.

“I was working with 105mm howitzers out of Fire Support Bases (FSBs) Coral, Balmoral and Coogee, supporting our infantry and around that time, we were based at Bien Hoa,” Mr Marshall said.

“At that time, we were deployed north-east of Saigon as it was thought that we could intercept the enemy retreating northwards from the Tet Offensive further south.

“We were wrong though and instead, were attacked from the north by a strong North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regiment that numbered anywhere between seven-and-a-half to ten thousand soldiers – it was the biggest battle the Anzacs had fought in Vietnam.”

But what was life like in Australia after his second tour of duty?

“It was a real shock,” he admitted.

“Things had changed a lot while I was gone. 

“Microwave ovens and colour TV was coming in and I was still used to a highly-structured way of life from the army, so it was a really big adjustment to make.

“I suppose I became more introspective afterwards. 

“We lost a few blokes and you wonder what could have happened to them if they were still alive.”

Mr Marshall had to then join the commemoration lunch and left me thinking about Anzac Day.

Some may question the relevance of Anzac Day and the meaning of Anzac Day largely rests with the individual.

It could mean helping others through charitable work or honouring relatives lost long ago.

It could also be about mateship, or, reflecting upon the opportunity cost of lives lost in war.

Whatever your opinion of Anzac Day, we’re so lucky to be living in a country where we’re not only able to have a personal view, but we’re also able to publicly express our views as well.