QUEANBEYAN man Phil Hawke has a new found appreciation for the row of trees lining Isabella Street.
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Known as the 'Avenue of Memory', the trees were planted to honour 28 ex-Queanbeyan Public School students who died during World War I including Alfred Meech - a relative of Mr Hawke.
The trees have been re-planted to mark the centenary of World War I and an additional six were planted by Queanbeyan Public School students on Thursday.
"I never realised about the [Avenue of Memory] until recently," Mr Hawke said.
"I noticed the other day when I walked past they were digging up and planting trees. I thought it was a bit peculiar but later on I realised what it was all about.
"It's a lovely street, nice area...to have trees from the front of the school to the river. Full credit must be given to the council and those who came up with the idea."
The Avenue of Memory was thought up by then Queanbeyan Public School headmaster Frank Gallagher and was undertaken in 1936.
Mr Hawke, 65, said the Avenue of Memory was a lovely gesture to remember those who committed to the service.
According to historical documents, Richard Alfred Meech was born in Queanbeyan in June 1887. He was one of 10 children born to Isaac Meech and Rosanna (nee Blundell).
Alfred, aged 27, enlisted on August 20, 1914 - just a fortnight after the declaration of war.
He is believed to be the first Queanbeyan man to enlist and left behind a fiancee, his parents and siblings.
Alfred was part of the 3rd battalion and arrived in Egypt on December 2. A witness saw Alfred tragically hit by a grenade after Australian troops got into the Turkish trenches.
The Meeches grew concerned after they had not heard from Alfred and it was almost a year before the family would find out the truth.
The town is filled with other momentos to mark Mr Meech's sacrifice including his house on George St and a memorial window at Christ Church.
The Hawke family has strong connections to army services. Mr Hawke's brother, John is a ex-servicemen and another brother, Allan was the secretary of defence and later veteran's affairs and also on the board for the Australian War Memorial.
Their father, Harold, was also the secretary of the Queanbeyan RSL for quite some time.
"It's just nice to have that connection to the past and particularly because all of us grew up in Queanbeyan as they did as well," Mr Hawke said.
"It's good to have history about your family and know where you came from. We also went to Isabella St primary school so that's a nice twist too."
As is tradition, Mr Hawke will mark Anzac Day by attending the local Queanbeyan service.
"Queanbeyan's alway s had strong numbers and depending on the weather, this year might be bigger," he said.
"Anzac Day, because of these connections, it is sort of...you've got to be careful it doesn't become a commercial day.
"It is a special day to remember those people and Alfred is at the forefront of our minds but we remember many of the other people who served as well."
The other ex-students were: Beatty, Alexander; Beatty, Harry; Bingley, Stan; Chopping, D; Dornbush, Ernest; Dunlop, Norman; Feagan, Alex T; Feagan, William; Ford, Andrew; Gregory, Joe; Hinksman, Clem; Mayo, E F; Mayo, J C; McInnes, H; Maxwell Thomas; Meech, Alfred; Moore, Walter; Moriarty, Harry; Morton, William A; Nugent, George; Penney, William; Richardson, Alfred; Robertson, Harry; Robertson, Monty; Roffe, E; Thompson, C; Walker, Lancelot; Tynan, William.