RSL ACT Branch Anzac Day Veterans' March 2025

Current and former serving Australian Defence Force, Commonwealth or Allied force veterans, and their relatives are eligible to participate.

The guidelines outline the eligibility requirements and provide general information for registered participants. Eligibility to march, and general information can be found in the Anzac Day Veterans’ March Guidelines.

Please read the guidelines prior to registering your group/contingent, or as an individual participant. Individual participants may include interstate visitors who are unsure of which contingent they should march with, or those that are not affiliated with an association.

The order of march is based on tradition and is determined in consideration of Defence ceremonial protocol. Current and former serving veterans of the Australian Defence Force are prioritised. 

The order of precedence for the march, which will be used to govern proceedings on Anzac Day, can be viewed below.

Note: the final order of march will be determined by registrations and operational requirements on the day.

PARADE COMMANDER PARTY

• PARADE COMMANDER (RSL ACT BRANCH PRESIDENT OR REPRESENTATIVE)
• NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATIVE
• AND PARTY (IF APPLICABLE)

RETURNED AND SERVICES LEAGUE (RSL) – ACT BRANCH AND SUB-BRANCHES MEMBERS

RSL COMMUNITY LINK BRIBIE ISLAND QUEENSLAND

NEW ZEALAND

SECOND WORLD WAR (1939-1945)

• NAVY, ARMY AND AIR FORCE

KOREAN WAR (1950-1953)

• NAVY, ARMY AND AIR FORCE

NATIONAL SERVICE (1951-1972)

• NATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION
• NATIONAL SERVICE AND COMBINED FORCES ASSOCIATION

MALAYA/BORNEO (1962-1966)

• MALAYA AND BORNEO VETERANS ASSOCIATION AND SANDAKAN FAMILIES ASSOCIATION

VIETNAM WAR (1962-1975)

• NAVY
  • HMAS SYDNEY – ESCORTS – VIETNAM LOGISTIC SUPPORT VETERANS ASSOCIATION (DEPLOYED 25
  • TIMES BETWEEN 1965 AND 1972)
• ARMY
  • HMAS PERTH ASSOCIATION (DEPLOYED 1967-68, 1968-69 AND 1970-71)
  • DETACHMENT – 131 DIVISIONAL LOCATING BATTERY (DEPLOYED 1966-71)
  • 7 RAR, B COY, 6 PLATOON (DEPLOYED 1967-68)
  • AUSTRALIAN ARMY TRAINING TEAM VIETNAM (DEPLOYED 1962-72)
  • 161 RECONNAISSANCE ASSOCIATION (DEPLOYED 1965-72)
  • 1ST AUSTRALIAN CIVIL AFFAIRS UNIT (DEPLOYED 1967-71)
• AIR FORCE
  • 2 SQUADRON ASSOCIATION
  • 9 SQUADRON RAAF ASSOCIATION (DEPLOYED 1966-71)
  • AIRFIELD DEFENCE ASSOCIATION (FOUNDED 1991)

JOINT OR COMBINED

• VIETNAM VETERANS ASSOCIATION AND FEDERATION (COMBINED EX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS)
• NAVY, ARMY AND AIR FORCE (VETERANS WHO DON’T IDENTIFY WITH A SHIP, UNIT, SQUADRON OR
• ASSOCIATION)

PEACEKEEPING/MAKING OPERATIONS (1964 TO PRESENT)

• CYPRUS (1964 TO PRESENT)
• MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE AND OBSERVERS (1981 TO PRESENT)
• CAMBODIA (1991-1993)
• SOMALIA (1992-1993)
• RWANDA (1994-1995)
• BOUGAINVILLE (1994: 1997-2003)
• EAST TIMOR (1999-2013)
• SOLOMON ISLANDS (2000-2013)

MIDDLE EAST OPERATIONS (1990 TO PRESENT)

• GULF WAR (1990-1991)
• AFGHANISTAN (2001-2021)
• IRAQ (2003-2013)
• AUSTRALIAN ARMY TRAINING TEAM IRAQ (2004-2008)
• GREATER MIDDLE EAST (2014 - )

DOMESTIC OPERATIONS (1997 TO PRESENT)

• BORDER PROTECTION (1997 TO PRESENT)
• QUEENSLAND ASSIST – CYCLONE DEBBIE & FLOODS (2017 & 2019)
• BUSHFIRE ASSIST (2019-2020)
• COVID-19 ASSIST (2020-2022)
• FLOOD ASSIST (2022)

EX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

• NAVY
  • NAVAL ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (FOUNDED 1920)
  • SUBMARINE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA (FOUNDED 1937)
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH ASSOCIATION (FOUNDED 1945)
  • NAVAL WARFARE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (FOUNDED 1946)
  • FLEET AIR ARM ASSOCIATION (FOUNDED 1977)
  • WRANS (NAVAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION ACT) (FOUNDED 2003)
  • TINGIRA ASSOCIATION – RAN JUNIOR RECRUITS 1960-1984 (FOUNDED 2011)
• ARMY
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMOURED CORPS ASSOCIATION
  • 1ST ARMOURED REGIMENT ASSOCIATION
  • 2ND CALVARY REGIMENT
  • ROYAL REGIMENT OF AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY ASSOCIATION
  • ‘A’ BATTERY ASSOCIATION
  • 104 FIELD BATTERY
  • 107 BATTERY ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION
  • 4 FIELD TROOP ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERS
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN SURVEY CORPS ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN SIGNALS ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION
  • 2ND BATTALION - ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION
  • 2ND/4TH BATTALION ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (1973-1995)
  • 1ST PARACHUTE SURGICAL TEAM
  • 5 RAR ASSOCIATION
  • AUSTRALIAN RIFLE COMPANY BUTTERWORTH 1970 – 1989
  • ACT AUSTRALIAN SPECIAL AIR SERVICE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION
  • COMMANDO ASSOCIATION
  • AUSTRALIAN ARMY AVIATION ASSOCIATION (FOURAYS)
  • AUSTRALIAN INTELLIGENCE CORPS
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN CORPS OF TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY DENTAL CORPS ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS ASSOCIATION
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY PAY CORPS
  • AUSTRALIAN ARMY LEGAL CORPS
  • ROYAL AUSTRALIAN CORPS OF MILITARY POLICE ASSOCIATION
  • THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY BAND CORPS ASSOCIATION
  • WOMENS ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY CORPS AND ARMY WOMENS ASSOCIATION

• AIR FORCE
  • AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION
  • AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION - WANDERERS BRANCH
  • NO. 2 SQN ASSOCIATION

JOINT OR COMBINED SERVICE

• ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER VETERANS ASSOCIATION

CURRENT SERVING (FULL TIME AND RESERVE MEMBERS)

• NAVY
• ARMY
  • 3RNSWR
• AIR FORCE
  • NO. 28 (CITY OF CANBERRA) SQUADRON RAAF
  • NO. 460 SQUADRON RAAF

JOINT OR COMBINED SERVICE

• AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE NURSING
• JOINT DATA NETWORK MILITARY OPERATIONS
• AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE ACADEMY

DEPLOYED CIVILIANS

• AUSTRALIAN CIVIL PEACEKEEPERS AND PEACEMAKERS

INTERNATIONAL (VETERANS OF A COMMONWEALTH OR ALLIED FORCE)

FAMILY GROUPS (MEDALS ON THE RIGHT)

• CANBERRA LEGACY
• RELATIVES OF VETERANS OF LISTED CONFLICTS/OPERATIONS/DEPLOYMENTS
• LEMNIAN ASSOCIATION OF NSW

CADET UNITS

• NAVAL CADETS
  • TRAINING SHIP CANBERRA
• ARMY CADETS
  • 224 ARMY CADET UNIT CANBERRA
  • 241 ARMY CADET UNIT CANBERRA
• AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE CADETS
  • 315 SQUADRON
  • 327 SQUADRON
  • 334 SQUADRON

What time do participants need to arrive on Anzac Day, and do they need to check in to march?

• 8.30 am: To ensure the Veterans’ March runs smoothly and safely, participants are asked to arrive from 8.30 am to form up on Anzac Parade
  • Contingent leaders are required to check in with a member of staff to confirm their contingent’s attendance and final numbers
  • Participants who have registered as individuals are also requested to check in
  • Staff and volunteers will be stationed along Anzac Parade in high-visibility vests to assist contingents and individuals to take position in the march order
• 9 am to 9.15 am: Contingents in position, contingent leaders to organise their group in files (up to a maximum of four files for contingents larger than 45)
• 9.30 am: Ceremonial proceedings commence on the Parade Ground

Where will my contingent be positioned on Anzac Day?

Staff and volunteers will be stationed along Anzac Parade to assist contingents to take position in the march order by 9 am. To understand where your contingent may be positioned, you can view the order of precedence for the Veterans’ March above. The final march order and reference map will be distributed by the Chief Marshal via email to registered participants prior to the day and will be published on the RSL ACT and Memorial websites.

Individual participants who have registered will be advised where to march prior to the date. If this information has not been received, staff will be stationed along Anzac Parade to assist from 8.30 am. For those individuals who are eligible to march as relatives of an Australian Defence Force, Commonwealth or Allied Force veteran, they will march with the family contingent following the veteran contingents.

Where do I store my contingent’s banner after the Veterans’ March?

If your contingent is remaining to view the Anzac Day Address and ceremonial proceedings, Memorial staff will direct you to secure your banner and place it at a holding point for collection upon your departure from the event. You may then take your seats. If your contingent is departing the Memorial after they have marched, your banner must be taken with you and cannot be stored by RSL ACT or the Memorial.

What happens in the event of bad weather?

The Veterans’ March is conducted outdoors, dress to weather conditions and bring water as required. In the event of inclement weather, the Veterans’ March will proceed as planned unless it is unsafe to do so.

What accommodation is nearby?

For more information regarding accommodation in Canberra, refer to visitcanberra.com.au 

For questions regarding eligibility to march, minimum age for participants and carers, accessibility, and appropriate dress and medal protocol, please read the guidelines. For more information to plan your attendance at Anzac Day commemorations at the Memorial, including the Dawn Service and Last Post Ceremony, visit www.awm.gov.au/anzac