Frank Lloyd was a just turned 18-year-old from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne when he followed the example of his two older brothers and joined the Australian fighting contingent alongside the allied forces in World War II.
That was 80 years ago, and in November this year, the Kyabram resident will turn 98, now the last surviving member of the community who served in the 1949-1945 conflict.
His brothers Godfrey and Henry, who have since died, were also long-serving members of the armed forces.
Frank joined the air force in 1943 and last week, during the Anzac Day parade at the gates of Kyabram’s Memorial Gardens, he accepted the salutes of participants as the guest of honour.
Frank’s daughter Sheryl travelled from the Yarra Valley to attend the service, which was also attended by eight of his grandchildren and five of his great-grandchildren.
The former flight mechanic came to Kyabram in 1979 and has family living in Kyabram and Shepparton.
He was one of 10 children, but only he and a 92-year-old sister remain alive. She still lives in the same Ringwood street that the family grew up in during the 1940s.
Frank carried his old Air Force hat in one hand and clasped his chest as the former service men and women, along with those honouring family members and community groups, marched past him in the early morning commemoration.
He took time out to recognise the involvement of four generations in the event, including his four-year-old great-granddaughter Elsie.
In all, Frank has 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
He came to Kyabram to try his hand at dairy farming, on a 16 hectare property at the end of The Avenue.
More from the Kyabram, Stanhope and Girgarre Anzac Day commemoration services on pages eight and nine today.