Thousands gather for Maitland Anzac Day morning service 2022

A crowd of about 3000 gathered at the cenotaph, marking the 107^th anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand forces landing at Gallipoli in 1915.

Community groups, veterans, families and current service men and women marched from the Maitland Fire and Rescue station at 10.30am and arrived at Maitland Park at 10.45am.

President of Maitland RSL Sub-Branch, Fred Goode OAM, ran the service as master of ceremonies, and addressed the crowd from the cenotaph.

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"We are assembled here to commemorate that immortal day when the young men of Australia, by their deeds and sacrifice, demonstrated to the world at Gallipoli that Australia was truly a nation," Mr Goode said.

The huge crowd was made up of veterans, service men and women, school groups, community groups, families, emergency service men and women, local dignitaries and members of the public.

State member for Maitland, Jenny Aitchison, said this was her third ceremony of the day, and they keep getting bigger.

Maitland resident, Margaret Burns, was in attendance and said this is her first Anzac Day service living in the area.

She wore her father Keith Hutton's medals to remember his service in World War II, and said she was attending the service to remember her father and pay homage to her ancestors in the wars.

Prayers, welcome addresses and hymns were given by mayor of Maitland Philip Penfold, Jenny Aitchison MP, St Mary's students Riley Stewart, Madelaine Collis and Christopher Robertson, Miss Maitland Hayley Johns and Salvation Army captain Lloyd Stanimirovic with the Salvation Army band.

Guarding the cenotaph were members from 2 Squadron RAAF Base Williamtown, commanded by flight lieutenant Jordan Brown.

Robbie Cheetham from City of Maitland Pipes and Drums piped as school groups, community groups and members of the public laid wreaths at the cenotaph.

The wreath laying ceremony, presented by treasurer of Maitland RSL Sub-Branch Henry Meskauskas, was paused at 11.30am for a haunting performance of the Last Post by a bugler from 2 Squadron RAAF Base Williamtown.

Mr Goode said the Last Post is always performed at 11.30am at the Maitland service, as the Anzacs landed in Gallipoli at 5.30am, which was 11.30am in our timezone.

The 2022 services marked the first year since the pandemic began that full scale ceremonies and marches could go ahead.

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