He was among the troops when they landed on the wrong beach on the other side of the world 100 years ago. He was also there when they left.

Lieutenant Colonel Clive Wentworth Thompson DSO, MC, VD, BSc, MB, MS would be among Bathurst’s highest ranking sons of those who served in World War 1 – and now members of his family are ready to honour his memory.

In 1914, at the outbreak of war, he was a junior medical officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital when he decided to enlist with the 1st Battalion in the 1st Infantry Brigade in the Australian Air Force.

In just a few days, Lieutenant Colonel Thompson’s granddaughters Belinda Thompson (from Bathurst) and Sally Clifton (from Tamworth) will proudly step where he stood 100 years ago as part of the Anzac landing centenary service.

The sisters were lucky enough to be drawn out of the ballot to attend what promises to be a poignant occasion for many Australians at Anzac Cove on the 100th anniversary of the ill-fated landing.

“I think it will be a really humbling experience,” Ms Thompson said. “It’ll be amazing. People always talk about how special it is.

“I don’t have any ideas as to the emotions. I know it will be emotional, but I don’t know what it will be like.”

During his time with the military, Lieutenant Colonel Thompson developed Advanced Dressing Stations – which were three wooden huts, built in sections, transportable on three lorries and capable of ‘leap-frogging’.

It’s a source of pride for Ms Thompson, who likens the innovation to the hit television series M.A.S.H.

Her grandfather also introduced anaesthetic and resuscitation equipment to the field ambulance so that men could be stabilised before evacuation.

During his time in Gallipoli, Lieutenant Colonel Thompson wrote letters to his mother and also described the landing on April 25, 1915.

“The appearance of the country is most forbidding and would leave you to believe it was impregnable,” he wrote.

“Turks were using machine gun and rifle fire to great effect. Our casualties were extremely heavy ... I believe that 70 per cent of those were out of action by the end of the day.”

Ms Thompson and her sister will be among those at the official Anzac Day ceremony before they join in a service at Lone Pine.

Ms Thompson has never been to Turkey’s Anzac Cove before, nor did she meet her distinguished grandfather, but she is well aware of the significance of the visit for her and her family.

“He was highly decorated. A DSO [Distinguished Service Order] was right up there – it’s for gallantry and service over a period of time,” she said of her grandfather.

“His Military Cross was from trying to save [Major] General [Sir William Throsby] Bridges.”

Following his military service in Gallipoli and France, Lieutenant Colonel Thompson returned to Australia to continue practising medicine.

A number of flags Lieutenant Colonel Thompson brought back with him to Bathurst are on display in the Warriors’ Chapel at All Saints’ Cathedral.