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The Parkes RSL Sub Branch has carried on its tradition of acquiring local identities as its special guest of honors for its annual ANZAC Day commemorations.
Over the past 12 years Parkes has been in the position of inviting former locals as their special guests and 2026 is no different with Australian Army Colonel Michael Robert Mudie as this year’s guest.
Mudie graduated and received his commission in the Australian Army in 2000, when he graduated from the Royal Military College of Australia as a Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.
Since then, he has served in a broad range of command, operational, instructional, capability and policy appointments.
His operational deployments included in 2005, he was deployed to Iraq as the inaugural Electronic Warfare Liaison Officer to Muthanna Task Group. And again in 2007 as the Australian Signals Directorate Liaison Officer to the Overwatch Battle Group-West.
In 2008, while on exchange with the USMC, he coordinated intelligence support for the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines and Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force rotations.
In 2009, he deployed to Afghanistan as the USMC Marine Expeditionary Brigade Collection Operations Officer providing intelligence support to counterinsurgency operations.
In 2010 and 2013, he returned to Afghanistan as a member of the Special Operations Task Group Fusion and Targeting Cell.
In 2018-19, now Colonel Mudie served as Commanding Officer of the 7th Signal Regiment where he led the advancement and transformation of the army’s electronic warfare, signals intelligence and cyberspace capabilities.
In 2020-22, he instructed at the Defence Academy of the UK where he designed and delivered the UK Strategic Command’s Multi-Domain Integration module.
In 2023, he was seconded with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, where he advised on consequential national security policy matters.
He served as a director within the Joint Systems Division in 2024-25 and now in 2026 he is honoured to attend the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian War College.
Among his service honours, Colonel Mudie was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2021 Australia Day honours.
He also received the Director General Joint Force Development Commendation in the United Kingdom’s 2023 New Year honours. And he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence Studies (2009); Master of Military and Defence Studies (2014); Master of International Relations (2016); Master of Cyber Security, Strategy and Diplomacy (2020); and a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Higher Education (2021).
He and his wife Kelly have two teenage daughters and pursue their love of the outdoors, travel and photography at every opportunity.
This year’s Parkes ANZAC Day commemorations will once again begin with the traditional dawn service at the top of Memorial Hill at 5.30am with Parkes Christian School captains William Bligh and Ruby Wilson as the event's Master of Ceremonies.
At 7.30am the Parkes Anglican Church will conduct its traditional ANZAC Day service.
The annual ANZAC Day March will commence at 8.35am with the Parkes Highway Patrol leading the way, and following them will be the Parkes Shire Concert Band, then Parkes Taxis will transport returned ex-service men and women on the traditional route.
The NRMA will provide a vehicle carrying one ex-serviceman or women yet to be decided.
Following the expected large group of ex-service men and women will be relatives who are honouring family members, with all Parkes schools next in line - Parkes Public leading and followed by Middleton Public School, Parkes East Public, Holy Family Catholic School, and Parkes Christian School leading the senior schools with Parkes High School and Red Bend Catholic College next.
The Parkes Junior AECG is the final school.
The march route will be the traditional route of Welcome Street, around Chamberlain Square then down Clarinda Street before turning into Short Street and finishing outside the Parkes Services Club.
The ANZAC Day commemoration ceremony in Cooke Park will take place after the march and the community is invited to join them.
The Parkes Services Club is the wet weather venue.
At 10.45am a wreath laying pilgrimage at the Parkes Cemetery War Graves will take place prior to the ANZAC Day luncheon at the Parkes Services Club which commences at 12noon.
The day will come to a close at 5pm when the Retreat will be played in Cooke Park near the cenotaph and the Parkes Services Club will sound the Ode at 6pm.