Veteran Robert Stokes will make his way down to Craigieburn War Memorial on Anzac Day to have his world war efforts commemorated.
Mr Stokes was 18 at the time he was called up for army duty at the Brown Coal Mine in Yallourn to guard the electricity power up there.
“I did 12 months of training in Yallourn and then the boys were being sent overseas, and I was only 18 so I had to get special permission from my parents to go because I was underage,” Mr Stokes said.
He went on to serve in New Guinea, Lae, New Britain and Jacquinot Bay, where he stayed until the end of the war.
The 98-year-old served for four years before coming home and getting discharged, where he later got married and had four children.
The war veteran said Anzac Day brought back memories of all the fallen soldiers, both past and present.
“It makes me remember all of my mates that I was with and some of them that never came back. I was one of the lucky ones and saw it through,” he said.
Although Mr Stokes will be wheelchair bound on the day, he said he couldn’t wait to make it down to the service.
“I think it’s important for me to be there to remember all the lives lost fighting for their country.”
“I’ve lost all my mates so this is an important way to remember them.”
