The full moon shone on more than 1,000 people from across the shire, as they gathered reverently around the Kiama Lighthouse for the Anzac Day dawn service. By the time that the service started, there was approximately 7,000 in attendance.

Men, women and children stood silently as prayers were said for the fallen, on the 109th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing on 25 April, 1915.

The haunting sound of bagpipes filled the air as first light broke over the headland. Floral wreaths were laid next to a rifle with an Australian slouch hat placed on top – a tribute to the war dead.

As The Last Post played, the Australian flag was lowered to half-mast.

Mounted soldiers silhouetted against the Kiama Lighthouse.

The Last Post signifies a fallen soldier’s rebirth into eternal life.

Then the recitation of the third and fourth stanzas of Laurence Binyon’s poem, For the Fallen. The poem was first published in the British newspaper, The Times on 21 September 1914.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They stood with heads bowed like every dawn service at the lighthouse since 1923, as the crashing waves punctuated the one minute’s silence.

Lest we forget.