It was a special Anzac Day this year for 80 year-old Howard "Howie" Campbell - he was in the place he has Christened his home town and he had his granddaughter beside him.
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Howie's father, Percy William Campbell, was a World War I hero who joined the police force after the war and was the officer in charge of Parkes Police from 1949 to 1955.
For the past five years Howie, himself a returned veteran, and his wife Anne have been visiting towns where Percy worked as a police officer.
During their visits they've been participating in Anzac Day commemorations in honour of Percy.
"We live in Springfield on the Central Coast and had decided to stay local this year," Howie said.
"But I got a phone call from my son Lachlan who said my five-year-old granddaughter Stephanie wanted to do her first dawn service and march with her Pa in Parkes.
"How could I say no to that?"
Percy passed away in 1958 and is buried in Parkes Cemetery.
"I bought the plot next door and my ashes will be interred next to my dad when I die," Howie said.
Howie said his father was a very tough country copper.
"No misbehaviour in his towns. If you were caught in town after dark and didn't have a note from your parents, off would come the revolver belt and you would get your backside tanned," he said.
"He was a tough man but I think the towns admired him for it because they never had any problems much in the country towns he was in charge of."
Howie has fond memories of his time in Parkes
"I did one-and-a-half years of primary school and three years of high school here," he said.
"That was the longest we had ever stayed in any one town. They moved country policemen around so they wouldn't get too close to the locals and we never lived anywhere longer than two years.
"A few years ago I decided to call Parkes my home town. I am still in regular contact with friends here and my oldest male friend, Bill Skinner, still lives here."
Howie served 20 years in the RAAF and was at war for 18 months during the Indonesian Confrontation.
"It's been an interesting time," he said.
"As I've gotten older I've become more of a carer. These days I look after veterans and first responders, working on PTSD and things like that."
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