Anzac Day 2023: veterans, RSLs, Legacy share their stories

That date has since come to commemorate those who lost their lives that day, and has broadened to honour those who have served in other wars, those who supported the war effort from home and ex-servicewomen.

Since the end of World War I, Australia has fought in 10 wars, including World War II (1939-45), the Korean War (1950-53), Vietnam War (1965-73), Gulf War (1990-91), War in Afghanistan (2001-21), Iraq War (2003-09) and the intervention in the Syrian Civil War (2014-17).

Dawn services and Anzac Day marches are being held across the country today, with The Senior and its sister publications capturing those moments. Links to the coverage will be added to this story by noon AEST.

If you went to an Anzac Day dawn service in Australia today, email your photo to The Senior journalist Anthony Caggiano at anthony.caggiano@thesenior.com.au and we'll include it in our gallery.

Please include the suburb, city and state that the picture was taken in, and the names of people in the picture as they appear from left to right.

In the meantime, below are a selection of veteran stories from various wars and the supports offered; stories of triumph and tragedy, of despair and hope, and all of courage.

READ MORE: See photos from the Anzac Day Dawn Service in Adelaide.

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Private Oswald Ling was just 15 when he was accepted into the Australian Infantry Force (AIF) and shipped off to battle during World War I. He sustained a severe injury to his head as a result of a Mills Bomb and having been unconscious for some time, stretcher bearers thought he was dead. But Oswald woke up - in the morgue.

Later he was medically discharged from service, but as he was supporting the family with his wage, he tried to enlist again and somehow got into the Merchant Marine Navy, which he served for 12 years as a wireless operator.

Leeton NSW's Michael Cowdroy-Ling - Oswald's son - was young when his dad died. Michael keeps his dad's story alive by sharing it and marching each Anzac Day. Read the full story here.

On September 2, 1945, Colin (Russ) Gibbins of Gold Coast, QLD, was in a prime position to witness the signing of the Japanese surrender to America's General Douglas MacArthur in Tokyo Bay.

The former navy communications operator was aboard Australia's heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire, anchored close to the USS Missouri, for the historical event ending the Pacific war.

"I had a good viewing spot to witness what was going on. The Allies had their ships in the bay and the sky was covered in aircraft, the Americans put every craft they had in the sky that day,'' he said.

Read Russ' full story, and that of his fellow Domain Country Club resident and World War II veteran Joan Woodland, here.

Imagine being ordered by an enemy to walk into the ocean with more than 20 of your colleagues, believing this would be the end of your life. You're shot, but still alive, and play dead until you can't hear anything. You then go into hiding.

This is what Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel lived through on February 16, 1942, in the Bangka Island Massacre of World War II. The Kapunda, SA-born veteran was the sole survivor of the 21 nurses who were killed that day.

A new sculpture of her will be the first sculpture of an individual nurse or woman in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial. It will feature a representation of Vivian in recognition of her exceptional military service and importance to the development of Australian nursing.

Read more here.

Members of the Veterans Motorcycle Club have been attending Anzac Day, Veteran Day and Remembrance Day events for years to pay their respects to those that have fallen.

Tim Stroud, the club's president - which has 12 veterans with a passion for riding - explains why.

"There are guys that have fallen before us and it makes us wonder how did we get so lucky? Why are we still standing here?," he said.

"We also pay respects for those still serving because tomorrow one of us could get a call to be shipped off to serve."

You can read their full story here.

All Australians are being called to 'Check on a Mate' and encourage veterans to go to an Anzac Day commemorative service near them.

The campaign, driven by RSL NSW, comes as the state's membership increased by 11 per cent over the past 12 months - the first time it's gone up in 40 years.

RSL NSW member and veteran-led charity Swiss8 founder Adrian Sutter said transitioning out of defence is a challenge for many veterans, regardless of how rewarding a career they've had.

"Some have never been civilians as adults and need to learn even the basics - getting a Medicare card and renting a house," Adrian said.

"While basic training to become a soldier takes three months of around-the-clock hard work, transitioning out of defence takes as little as 30 minutes. After walking out the gates, veterans need to rebuild their social networks and transition into civilian life, shedding the military identity and norms that civilian society doesn't recognise."

Read the full story here.

Written by Kerrie Gambley, of the family band Haystack Mountain Hermits, The Horses Stay Behind (One Last Ride) was inspired by her great-grandfather, a Gallipoli veteran who on his deathbed shared his terrible sadness at leaving his horse Ebenezer in Palestine when he sailed for home.

Already receiving much acclaim, the heart-wrenching song has been reimagined as a music video in preparation for Anzac Day.

Watch the video in the link here, and get the back story behind the song and video here.

I hope the war will soon stop now for it is sapping out the best of men and all that is beautiful in civilised life.

These heartfelt and moving words were written by Lieutenant Wilfred Barlow of the 58th Battalion. Sadly, he was not to see the end of World War I for, like countless others, he was killed on foreign shores in May 1917.

The National Anzac Centre in Albany, WA, gives a greater understanding of what life was like for Barlow and hundreds of thousands of soldiers, nurses and civilians during the Great War.

Find out more about the museum here.

Of course, the end of World War I is marked by Remeberance day, November 11. You can read about it here. What is Remembrance Day and why do we commemorate it

This year, Legacy commemorates 100 years of supporting the families of Australian Defence Force members who have given their life or health in service to Australia.

A torch relay travelling more than 50,000km through 100 locations, with 57 relays over six months, presented by Defence Health, is one aspect of this. The journey started with a ceremony at Pozieres, France.

More details about its history and links to where the torch will travel to can be found here.

Rosemary has a long and storied history in the Australian war effort. During World War I, soldiers would often carry sprigs of rosemary as a symbol of remembrance for their fallen comrades. This tradition continues today, with rosemary being used as a symbol of remembrance on Anzac Day.

Sydney Legacy is handing out donated rosemary picked from the property of David and Cathy Harris - of Harris Farm grocery chain fame - as a gift to commemorate the fallen and their families.

About 50,000 sprigs have been harvested, and there's a touching back story about how a social enterprise that provides employment and training opportunities for seniors and people with disabilities helps with the process.

Read more here.

This year marks half a century since Australia ended its involvement in the Vietnam War, a conflict in which 60,000 Australians served, more than 3000 were wounded and 523 died.

But for the members of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, the campaign has never completely ended as they work for those who feel its impact to this day.

One especially busy NSW sub-branch is the St Mary's Vietnam Veterans' Outpost in Sydney's west.

Based in a converted train that was once part of a McDonald's restaurant, its support service has been helping veterans and their families for about 30 years.

It does everything from submitting service-related injury claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs - more than 100 a month, on average - to helping veterans access a range of government and/or community services.

Together with the St Marys RSL Sub-Branch across the carpark, its latest initiative is a wellbeing program offering 12-15 activities to all veterans and their families.

Read the full story here.