APRIL 25 this year will hold even more significance than usual for Port Macquarie RSL sub-Branch president Greg Laird OAM.
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When The Last Post plays to the first hues of dawn on Anzac Day, Mr Laird will mark the end of two decades at helm of the sub-Branch and as the mainstay of commemoration services for Port Macquarie.
He embodies the spirit of Anzac Day and has been a champion for veterans and their families for 20 years.
He is a larrikin, a leader and the heart and soul of what makes Anzac Day services, and all other gatherings to acknowledge the sacrifices of our local veterans, so poignant.
Now, he says, is his time to step aside. Sunday will be his final service.
Mr Laird is a veteran of Vietnam and remembers returning home to be shunned by a nation who believed they didn't serve in a "real war".
We will remember: Port Macquarie-Hastings Anzac Day services guide
Today, he is proud to advocate for all veterans who have put their lives on the line and support the families they left behind.
War is not to be glorified he says, but the sacrifice, the mateship, the camaraderie and the resilience that defines the Anzac spirit is deeply embedded in our shared story as a nation and who we are as Aussies.
Mr Laird is proud of the legacy he will leave behind - an appreciation of one another and adding new chapters to the Australian story delivered each year through the eyes of our youth.
It's my time. I've had a good run and am proud of what we've done.
- Greg Laird
He said while a COVID-impacted 2020 marked one of the loneliest Anzac Day commemorations for many, it reasserted the significance of the day for us all. Driveways lit up at dawn across the Hastings, buglers sounded the Last Post from headlands - we were all together, even though we were apart.
This year, Mr Laird will lead the march down Horton Street. He will be joined by 97-year-old Roy Boyle.
There are 350 members in the sub-Branch who will join him. It is one of the largest RSL sub-Branches in country NSW supporting the region's remaining 22 World War Two veterans.
"It's my time," Mr Laird said. "I've had a good run and am proud of what we've done.
"I'm proud that I was part of the revitalisation of Anzac Day as a tradition, particularly here in Port Macquarie."
He was also integral in ensuring flags flew permanently at the cenotaph and invited local school leaders to deliver the annual Anzac Day address.
"Our focus on youth as guest speakers has brought a real modern look through their young eyes of what Anzac Day means to them. I love their perceptions and their efforts in bringing family stories to life through their speeches."
Mr Laird comes from a line of servicemen with his father and both grandparents, one who returned home with a Military Medal, key figures in the Ryde RSL sub-Branch.
In 1969, he stepped up and served in the Vietnam War, returning at the end of 1971. By 1972, Mr Laird began his long association with the RSL.
In 2003, Mr Laird joined the Port Macquarie sub-Branch and has served as president for the last 19 years. And he cherishes the memories.
"I joined the RSL because I could see what it did for the veterans. And if you do it right, they love it," he said.
"I'll stay a member but I believe an outgoing president should take a back seat to allow the incoming president and committee to put their own stamp on things.
"I will look forward to the next Anzac Day and coming down here (to the cenotaph) and being a part of the crowd. I'm happy."
Mr Laird will enjoy some travelling with wife Lynne once his commitments as president are complete.
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