Michael's ANZAC Day march to honour his grandfather and great-grandfather

Adorned with the medals of his predecessors, Mr Burrow was proud to represent both his grandfather, and his great-grandfather, as he attended the Dawn Service and marched during the main march at 10:15am.

Both of his ancestors served during the Second World War.

"My grandfather was in the second division, fifth field engineers corp, which went over to New Guinea and prepared all sorts of roads and bridges," Mr Burrow said.

"My great-grandfather, he was in the air force, and he was a very old enlistment, and was well into his late 40s when he decided to serve.

"He got shot down and was missing for about two-and-a-half years."

His great-grandfather returned home after being located safely when the war was over, while his grandfather remained in New Guinea and was ambushed by the enemy.

What happened next, would haunt Mr Burrow's grandfather for the remainder of his life.

"My grandfather, he was still in New Guinea when the war finished, and his camp was ambushed by the Kamikazi pilots, and they got fired upon," Mr Burrow said.

"One of the memories my grandfather told me - and it wasn't until about two years before he died, and he never told my grandmother or any of the family - about being ambushed in the camp and having to shoot another human to save his friends.

"To have all those comrades that he had been in war with, to be shot beside him and then have to defend himself, he had a lot of post traumatic stress."

This wasn't the only time that his grandfather would confide in him. Growing up, Mr Burrow said that his grandfather was his best friend.

This relationship is something that Mr Burrow believed made an immense impact in the years after WWII.

"My grandfather, he was my best mate, and I used to learn a lot about warfare and things that happened," he said.

"My grandfather confided in me a lot while I was growing up, and he used to talk about a lot of things that happened, that he would never speak to anyone else about.

"There were a lot of things my grandmother didn't know, that he used to speak to me about."

Mr Burrow said he witnessed the importance of having people to confide in, time and time again during his grandfather's life.

This was especially evident during the times when he was able to reunite with the men he served alongside.

"You used to see it in the unit reunions, you would see that mateship. Even though they were in their late 60s back then, there was still that mateship that continued on," he said.

"I used to march in Sydney in his unit when he passed away, and you could still hear the guys in the unit talking about different things and old times. And they would only talk to one another.

"That's the thing with mateship, when you're locked in that unit, everything you go through, you go through together."

This message of mateship and camaraderie was a poignant one, and was the focus of the Dawn Service address by RSL Sub Branch president in the early hours of Anzac Day.

Because of everything his grandfather went through, Mr Burrow said Anzac Day was always an important day for him.

For him, Anzac Day represents an opportunity to pay homage to those who have served, and those who continue to serve.

"It's an emotional day for me, so it's hard to keep it all together," he said.

"To me, it's a day of respect. It's a day of respect for what's been done in the past and what is being currently done, and respect for the people who are keeping us safe."

It's also a way for Mr Burrow to continue to feel connected to his loved ones.

"It means a lot, it means I'm marching with my grandfather, and that he is still with me, standing beside me, as proud as I am," he said.