Has Anzac Day become the biggest on the Australian calendar?

From a religious point of view, when most of the country was considered Christian, Christmas Day and Good Friday were probably ranked higher in significance, but that is no longer.

Returned service personnel and those currently serving march in ANZAC Day parades across the nation and the world, wearing medals above their heart with pride.

It was the younger leadership of the RSL who saved ANZAC Day, which was thought under threat particularly during the 1960s and 1970s.

The resurgence of ANZAC Day began in the late 1980s when the RSL relaxed their rules and ex-service personnel from the 'smaller wars' were encouraged to participate along with the families of those lost to age and illness or through representing those no longer able to participate.

Younger generations breathed further life back into the ANZAC spirit when, during the early 2000s, dawn services became important rites of passage to acknowledge and honour the sacrifice of the fallen.

At the same time, travel to ANZAC Cove became less difficult and pilgrimages to the shores of Gallipoli became far more accessible.

Most parades are now dominated by school children, many adorned with medals on the right side of their chest, highlighting that they were awarded to forebears.

I had a semblance of an idea that members of my family were involved in World War I and perhaps even before 1914 yet the description of who, when, and where had been lost to memory over time.

The family history I understood was framed in anger because while there were war medals and photographs displayed in the Belfast sitting room of the family home, they had been pawned by the greedy.

I have always admired the medals that families of veterans wear on ANZAC Day, and I've always acknowledged the importance of tracing my family's history and attempting to locate their service records.

Part of that discovery occurred by accident when I visited Northern Ireland last year.

A retired friend of the family with a particular interest in history had started compiling a family tree - an extraordinarily difficult proposition considering many of the records were burned in the fire of 30 June, 1922 during the beginning of the civil war when the public records office in Dublin (Four Courts) was destroyed after two days of bombing.

The Irish Census of 1901 and 1911 were the only two complete records to survive, which makes searching for family history far more complicated.

However, it was at this time that I came across my great-grandfather's service records; the first I have been able to locate although perhaps not even the first veteran in our family.

Frederick William Allen enlisted with Royal Irish Dragoon Guards on March 14, 1874. Remarkably, he was just 14 years and 10 months and would become an army trumpeter.

Frederick saw action in Egypt during 1882.

The Anglo-Egyptian War, underpinned by British imperial occupation of another foreign land, between the United Kingdom and Egyptian and Sudanese forces took place from July-September 1882.

The confrontation was basically over the Suez Canal which gave the British access to transit and trade, particularly oil.

Three major battles would take place as UK naval forces attacked Egypt's second largest city, Alexandria, followed by raids on Kafr El Dawwar to reach Cairo, and, finally, attacking the Suez Canal Zone to repel Ahmed Urabi's rebel forces.

My great-grandfather died in 1928 having enjoyed a long career as a musician in the orchestra of the Grand Opera House, Belfast.

There is a War Medal to acknowledge his service, the original long gone, but the opportunity for a replica is now of interest.

The Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs estimates that there are up to 3000 World War II (1939-1945) veterans still alive, yet by 2026 the number will drop considerably to about 800.

The last surviving World War I (1914-18) veteran involved in action was Claude Choules who died at a remarkable 110 years of age in 2011.

Approximately 1600 Korean War (1950-1953) veterans remain and for Australians involved in the Vietnam War 35,000 are still alive with many able to participate in various commemorations such as ANZAC Day, and Vietnam Veterans Day (Long Tan Day) on 18 August each year.

This is far cry from their arrival home in 1972 when, through no fault of their own, there were no parades due the general public's concerns regarding the legitimacy and purpose of the war.

What we are now very clear about is the importance of the stories that veterans share.

And while we cannot change the traumatic experiences that many witnessed, we can learn from their recollections including the importance of preventing war.

About 25,000 Vietnam Veterans marched with pride in 1987, some 15 years after the last Australian service personnel returned, when Prime Minister, Robert J. Hawke, 'welcomed' them home.

The strength of commemoration into the future will, again, depend on the younger generations who must uphold the virtues of the ANZAC spirit, acknowledge the importance of service, and commemorate the significance of sacrifice.

Lest we forget.