Nundle honours veterans and servicemen and women on Anzac Day 2023

Former naval officer Paul Mayor said the commemoration of Anzac Day is important to regional towns, especially Nundle.

"It's very important for these regions as what they contributed was significant in comparison to other areas, and makes up the fabric of their society and follows their traditions," he said.

When World War I was first declared in Europe 17,000 miles away, some of the earliest volunteers came from Nundle.

During the ceremony, a quiet washed over the crowd as guest speaker historian Geoff Cummings read newspaper clippings from back in the day.

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The articles told of young men and women from the community and what had happened to each one of them during the war.

"All the little communities around the country and state add up to a lot of people. A lot of the volunteers were off the land and in the local communities or villages," event coordinator of Nundle Anzac commemoration Michael Chamberlain said.

Retired serviceman Private David Fredrick Leonard fought in the Korean War between 1951 to 1953. He is one of the oldest former servicemen in the community.

Mr Leonard said Anzac Day for him is about remembering mates and family who served and died during war.

"The chap who was gonna be the best man at my wedding was blown up with a landmine in Korea," he said.

Tamworth Regional councillor Stephen Mears said we owe a lot to the young men and women from these small communities, who had made the biggest sacrifice of all.

"They gave up significant amount ... I looked at the honour roll for Nundle and I think around 1890 they had 500 citizens, just under 200 men served alone in WWI and WWII too," he said.

"I think we've forgotten the small towns where so many of the young men and women lost their lives and didn't come back. Their populations had to start all over again."

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