AT THE end of the dawn service, a small crowd left the Australian War Memorial and trooped through the rain to a clearing at the base of Canberra's Mount Ainslie.
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They were gathered to acknowledge the sacrifices made by Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander soldiers while serving their country.
Ngunnawal elder Michael Bell welcomed the crowd as they filtered into the clearing, the site of a small memorial plaque to Indigenous and Torres Strait military service.
"It's good to see so many of you here today," he told the crowd of about 300.
"I'd like to welcome you all here. We'd like to especially acknowledge those who have travelled, our Ngunnawal elders, and the veterans, serving and non-serving, who have made the effort to be here.
Veterans from as far afield as Darwin made the trip for the commemoration, which also hosted soldiers from the New Zealand Defence Force.
Kiwi soldier Colonel Glenn King delivered the ceremony's commemorative address, recalling the proud, and often-shared, military histories of Maori, the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders.
"This morning we gather to honour and remember all those who have served and are serving our two nations," he said.
"In particular, standing here at the foot of Mount Ainslie, we recognise the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who have served in the defence force, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
"It is my honour to be standing here this Anzac Day."
The ceremony featured a reading of the poem, The Coloured Digger, written by sapper Bert Beros after meeting an Indigenous soldier while serving in New Guinea in 1942.
It also featured a prayer from Wiradjuri chaplain Ivan Grant, a member of the Australian Army with strong family links to the defence force.
The commemoration ended with the laying of wreaths and floral tributes at the base of the memorial plaque.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers have served in every Australian conflict since at least 1901, according to the Australian War Memorial.
Over 1000 Indigenous soldiers fought in World War I, according to the memorial's website, although some who tried to enlist were deliberately denied due to their race.
More than 3000 soldiers are estimated to have fought in World War II, with Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders serving in every conflict featuring Australia since.
