With a grandfather that served in a light horse brigade in World War I, he was taught about the day's significance from an early age. But today, it serves an even deeper meaning.

Mr Dobell, who was a Private when serving in Vietnam, said the day allowed him to remember not just those he served with, but the fallen from all wars.

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"Anzac Day is a very important day in my mind to allow me the moment, and it really is a flash, but it's a moment to remember many that didn't come home from all wars, not just Vietnam, but it does take me back to a few mates that are no longer with us," he said.

"I have that moment where we think about all that, we march and people clap and cheer and carry on, we feel quite honoured but compared to what we can do afterwards when we get together and just have a couple of drinks, it's actually usually more than a couple, and we talk about old times, we talk a load of rubbish too sometimes, but it's all commemorating our mates and those that aren't here with us today."

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After returning from Vietnam, Mr Dobell said he had to deal with the pushback from the politically divisive war, including being called things such as 'rapist' and 'baby killer' by protesters.

"Returning home was tougher for some than for others because they were treated badly," he said.

"There was no doubt they were just designed to upset us but I've never understood why us and not the government... They can do it, I don't mind the protesting, but why fire shots at me or any other soldier for that matter?"

Mr Dobell said he felt the perception of Vietnam veterans changed when more than 20,000 marched through Sydney for the Welcome Home March in 1987.

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"People are coming out, patting us on the back, shaking our hands, it was hard to march. We were received so beautifully by the people of Sydney and people from all over the country I think were there and we'd come from far and wide," he said.