Kevin Barrass from Henty looked on with pride as students planted 135 white crosses into the lawn at Henty Memorial Park.
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Having served in the National Service Mr Barrass has some realisation of what life would have been like for those young men.
On his jacket he wears his own medals and those of his father, Edward Henry Barrass, who served in Gallipoli.
Mr Barrass recently donated a large photo of his father with his two brothers in Egypt to the Australian War Memorial.
The photo now hangs in the new section of the War Memorial.
Seeing youth take part in Anzac Day celebrations was uplifting for Mr Barrass.
“They’ve got to come in and do it when we aren’t around anymore,” he said.
“It is the best thing for the kids, it’s just unreal.”
One of his ancestors was also recognised with a white cross during the ceremony.
The surname was Keighran but Mr Barrass knows little about him other than his name appears in his family tree.
The ceremony recognised all soldiers whose names appeared on the honour roll in Henty and Pleasant Hills regardless of their relations or history.
