As the sun rises over the garden cemetery in Alice Springs, a chair sits empty.
It belongs to Sydney Kinsman.
A portrait of him is propped against the seat back, his gently smiling face greeting those who walk past.
Mr Kinsman was the town's last World War II veteran, and one of Australia's last surviving Rats of Tobruk.
He died last year at the age of 100, and this is the first Anzac Day in many years that Alice Springs is commemorating without him.
For Mr Kinsman's grandson Ben Bruce, and countless others in the outback town, it's a bittersweet day.
This year, he's taking on his grandfather's mantle, reading the Ode at the local service.
"It's pretty emotional," he said.
"But it'd be important that I did that for him today."
Remembering a war hero
Mr Kinsman was among the 35,000 Allied soldiers, including 14,000 Australians, who held the Libyan port of Tobruk against the German Africa Corps in 1941.
The eight-month-long siege was a vital battle for the Allies.
In 1942, during the First Battle of El Alamein in Egypt, Mr Kinsman was captured by the Germans.
He would spend time in three different prisoner of war camps in Italy before he managed to escape with several other soldiers about a year later.
Over several months they climbed the Alps, making their way to Switzerland where they remained for a year, before the Allies caught up to them near the border.
The group was then able to cross back over and rejoin the Allied forces, where Mr Kinsman returned to his old unit.
In 1944, he was repatriated to Australia and discharged from the army the following the year.
'It wasn't just him'
Throughout the years, Mr Kinsman has remained an active member of RSL Australia, and was made a life member of the organisation before his death.
He often spoke of the harsh conditions troops faced during the Siege of Tobruk — and the beloved friends that never came home.
"I don't think a day went by when Grandpa wasn't thinking of those that he lost," Mr Bruce said.
Mr Bruce said Anzac Day had become a sacred day of remembrance for his grandfather.
"[It] was particularly special for him, because I think that's when he saw it wasn't just him that was remembering those guys," he said.
"As an ex-serving member myself, I've also had friends lost on operations.
"So it's a special day for me as well."
'I've never missed one in my life'
Crowds have gathered across the Northern Territory today to commemorate Anzac Day, with public marches in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs, Palmerston and Tennant Creek.
Veteran Peter Charles, who served most of his life in the Royal Marines Commandos, was among those who gathered in Alice Springs for the dawn service.
It's been a heartbreaking few months for the Darwin local.
He was heading to the Sunshine Coast to visit his daughter, when his van was blown off the Barkly Highway by strong crosswinds, and crashed into a ravine.
Mr Charles was transported to Alice Springs Hospital for urgent care, where he's been slowly recovering for almost 20 weeks.
But while his written-off van was parked at the local police station, thieves broke in and stole priceless items from the vehicle, including his war medals and green beret.
"So I've got a beanie instead of my green beret, and I've got no medals," Mr Charles said.
"But I'll ring my sister in the UK in the next couple of days and activate things so I can get them all replaced."
Mr Charles said he had been released from hospital today to observe Anzac Day, which was deeply sacred to him.
"I've never missed one in my life," he said.
"I just think of all those fellows and ladies that have lost their lives, and my sincere heart goes towards thanking them."
