A look of pride covered the faces of those wearing the medals in honour of lost relatives.

Hundreds of families lined High Street to pay their respects to the men and women who gave their lives for Australia during war.

Among them were Pakenham's Alexander Ross and his twin sister Georgina, who each carried medals with pride.

"These are my granddad's and great-granddad's service medals," Alexander said.

"I didn't know my grandad as he died when he was 80, but he fought for Australia in World War II."

Inspector Bryan Sharpe, of the Glen Waverley Police Academy, spoke at the service sharing his own thoughts on the historic day.

Another keynote speaker, Berwick RSL president Les Lucas, spoke of his own experiences of fighting in Vietnam.

Conscripted in 1968 at the age of 21, he shared the painful memories of the treacherous conditions endured by him and his comrades in the jungles of Vietnam.

"Vietnam was a different kind of war - we were transported to a dramatically different landscape - it was a long way from Noble Park, where I grew up."

Mr Lucas also spoke about the search-and-destroy missions in thick muddy insect-infested jungles.

He also spoke of the importance to remember all of Australia's service personnel who had endured equally treacherous conditions fighting to defend freedom and democracy.

"We remember those who still sleep where they last lay, in the olive groves of Europe, in the beautiful resting places in France, on the steep cliffs of Gallipoli, in unknown resting places in almost every land.

"We remember the women who gave their lives and became soldiers' sisters in the true sense of the word.

"We think of them all, in Korea, Borneo, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Great Wars - in all wars. May we all we worthy of their sacrifice."

The moving Last Post was played, followed by a minute's silence before the lone bugler played the Reveille, the traditional soldiers' wake-up-call and now a mark of respect to the memory of their comrades.