Rain held off for the crowd who woke up early to pay respect to Australians and New Zealanders who have served their country for the past 102 years.

Riverside High School student Thomas Moreton was guest speaker at the Launceston dawn service, a job he undertook with pride to honour his great-grandfather Wildfred Moreton.

“Sharing and passing on the Anzac spirit and the stories of Australian war history is how we keep the Anzac spirit alive and how Australia knows where it has come from,” he said.

“The sacrifice and service should never be forgotten.”

The Richards family from Hadspen also took the time to reflect at the dawn service.

Jo Richards started going to the dawn service as family tradition with her children, as they grow up, to pay respects to grandparents and great-grandparents who served.

“It’s about commemorating the soldiers that served because if they didn’t serve we wouldn’t have the freedom we have today,” nine-year-old Taylah Richards said. 

“We will go home and have a big breakfast and in the afternoon make Anzac biscuits with mum while dad watches the football.”

Their mother tells the pair that no matter what the weather was like in Launceston they will go to the dawn service, because the soldiers who fought had mornings much more difficult.

“When they die it is important and it’s really sad for other people,” six-year-old Briony said.

Taylah said she and sister Briony wore their Girl Guides attire to the service because “it shows awareness of things we do to help the country”.