Corporal Charles Purday. Picture supplied

The service and sacrifice of one local family is being remembered as an Anzac Day commemoration takes place in Cronulla for the 100th year.

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Cronulla RSL sub-Branch has honoured the Purday family in a post which reads:

Some families carry not just memories of war, but its lasting impact across generations," the sub-branch said.

This Anzac Day, we honour the Purday family, who have shared the stories of three relatives whose lives were shaped by service, sacrifice and resilience.

Corporal Charles Purday enlisted in May 1916 and served in France during World War I. After being medically discharged in 1920, he returned to Australia and built a life in Cronulla as a bricklayer, working with Sutherland Shire Council.

Importantly, he was also one of the early founding members of Cronulla RSL, helping to establish a place of connection and remembrance for veterans and the local community. [He passed away in1966].

Herbert Charles Row and family. Picture supplied

Sapper Herbert Charles Rowe served during World War II, arriving in Singapore in August 1941.

Not long after, he was reported missing in Malaya and went on to endure years as a Prisoner of War, held in Changi and on the Burma-Thailand Railway.

After returning home in 1945, he settled in New South Wales and later Cronulla, rebuilding his life alongside his family after years of hardship.

Stewart Thomas Mullard enlisted at just 18 years of age, leaving behind his work with the railways to serve in the First World War.

Stewart Thomas Mullard. Picture supplied

While fighting in France, he was seriously wounded, sustaining gunshot injuries to his legs and arm that would impact him for the rest of his life, including the use of a partial wooden leg. His story is one of courage at a young age, and the lifelong cost of service.

These are not just stories of war, but of resilience, community and legacy.

By sharing them, we ensure their service is not forgotten, and that future generations understand the cost of the freedoms we enjoy today.

Thank you for sharing their stories, Leigh and Jeanette.