A World War II veteran died while travelling to a dawn service this morning.
John Atkinson, 98, from Port Broughton, South Australia, fell off his mobility scooter on his way to the service.
Shocked passers-by helped him to get back onto his scooter, but he fell again, his son Russell told the York Peninsula Country Times.
An ambulance was called and paramedics attempted to revive Mr Atkinson and used a defibrillator, but he died at the scene.
“He was very much looking forward to taking part in the dawn service, and later leading the local march from the RSL, as he has done many times before,” his son said.
“He was so independent and resilient.”
Mr Atkinson enlisted as soon as he could after turning 18 in September, 1943 and served as a transport driver with the RAAF in the Pacific theatre of WWII, including northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Port Broughton RSL president Sandra Owen said Mr Atkinson was a vital and “cherished” part of the community.
“He was just cherished,” Ms Owen said via The Advertiser.
“He always put the rum in our coffee at the gunfire breakfast and we always had to watch him to make sure it wasn’t too strong.
“A few weeks ago I bumped into him … and he said ‘I haven’t been very well, but I’ll be there on Anzac Day to put the rum in the coffee.”
Former president George Blair-Nicholas said he doesn’t think the community will ever get over the tragic loss.
“He was a very active member right up until not very long ago when his health started to get hold of him,” he said.
“He was always jovial even when he was crook. He was one of those people you feel privileged to know.
“It’s left a mighty big hole for all our people here. It really is something that I don’t think we’ll ever get over. It’s a big loss because he was a friend to everybody.”
The Returned and Service League of Australia said Mr Atkinson’s passing was “very sad news”.
“The RSL extends its deepest condolences to John Atkinson’s family, his friends and colleagues in the veteran community,” spokesman Tony Harrison said via 7News.