The sun broke on clear blue skies as more than 300 people joined to pay their respects to servicemen and women, past and present, for Anzac Day Dawn Service.

Tea Gardens RSL sub branch vice president Ted Mowbray said he was overwhelmed by the turnout.

“It’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever had, I’d say there were about 600 here for the morning service, if not more.”

Mr Mowbray was pleased that the significance of Anzac Day was being passed on to the next generation.

“The idea of Anzac Day is starting to dawn on people that they must remember their past,” he said.

“There was a time when it was a dirty word, around Vietnam and those men were spat on when they went to march, but the whole attitude towards servicemen seems to be changing and you can see it here today by the crowd that has turned up.”

A flurry of Australian flags greeted marchers as families lined the foreshore to see local servicemen and women walk alongside the Fire Brigade, Red Cross and Tea Gardens Public School.

Leading the precession, the billowy sounds of bag pipes from the Australian Corps of Transport Pipes and Drums and the Thornton Salvation Army Band echoed through the streets as the parade made its way to Memorial Park. In his service oration, Padre Len Roberts encouraged the crowd to be involved in their family history and find out about members who served.

“For many years I did not know about my grandfather’s involvement. We did not know or understand the horrors and trials they went through,” he said.

“There is a tradition in so many countries of the world that we can be proud of. We must make sure their lives were not lost in vain. We are lucky, but luck just isn’t luck, it is made. We need to remember those that have gone before.”