Last Post a proud moment

As the first rays of sunlight hit Mt Clarence this morning, Albany’s Justin Laing might have been thinking of his veteran grandfather.

The musician, who will sound the Last Post at this year’s dawn service, said his “Pop” was his link to the Anzac legend.

Mr Laing’s grandfather, an air force veteran, is believed to have been taken prisoner during the 1942 Battle of Singapore.

With about 15,000 other Australians, he was a captive for years.

For Mr Laing, given his grandfather’s service and that of thousands of similar Australians, sounding the Last Post at the Albany Anzac Day dawn service will be “a proud moment”.

“You want to get it right,” he said. “Every time you do it, it’s still, ‘Wow that was worth it’.”

Today’s dawn service was held from 5.30am at the Mt Clarence memorial.

Fellow Albany City Band member Sandra Woonings was set to play at the mid-morning service.

An experienced Anzac Day trumpeter, she said each year it could be a moving experience.

“I can get emotional sometimes,” she said.

“You stop thinking about yourself and think about the occasion.”