Lieutenant Commander David Simpson, of HMAS Albatross represented navy at the service and gave an address to students.

He spoke about the many sacrifices made by Australian military personnel across all theatres of war and how losses of personnel had impacted communities, including the Shoalhaven.

He also spoke of the role defence force members, both past and present, play within the local community.

“The Anzac legend is borne from our ill-fated battle at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, but it stretches through time since,” he said.

“The start of the legend stems from a military catastrophe.

“To put things into perspective, imagine every resident of Nowra either dead or injured in less than one year. More than 28,000 Australians were killed or injured at Gallipoli.

“All in all the Allies had around 140,000 and the Turks more than 250,000 casualties.

“These original Anzacs, however, stood out from the other nations, as they do now, with their intense nationalism and patriotism.

“Their independence, enterprise and an adventurous spirit set them apart. These traits are still alive and well in many areas of our society and most certainly in the Australian Defence Force.”

He also highlighted the support uniformed and ex-service personnel receive today, predominantly the result from successive generations of veterans’ groups like Legacy and the RSL.

Oscar Moysey and Gemma Thompson gave the students’ addresses.

Oscar elaborated on the Anzac story and legend, covering Gallipoli and Villers-Bretonneux.

Gemma spoke about the meaning of Anzac Day from a defence family’s perspective.

New principal Glen Kingsley said service personnel should never be forgotten.

“We must pay homage to the veterans especially those who gave their lives for our peace and freedom,” he said.

“We must remember the sacrifices they made.”

Barry Tait representing the Nowra RSL presented the school with a selection of books, while bugler Peter Williams played the Last Post.

Prefects Breeana O’Donnell and Ja’aear Baraguir accompanied LCDR Simpson to lay a wreath at the school’s flagpole.