He has been learning about the sacrifice his great-grandfathers made for their country and will be wearing their medals for the first time in the parade on Saturday.

Although he hasn't quite grasped the significance of the event, he said he was looking forward to proudly wearing the medals of his grandfather's father, Raymond Kenneth McInnes.

His little brother Bailey, 3, will be weighed down by the medals of their grandmother's father, James Robert Sillis.

Both great grandparents fought in the same battle in New Guinea at Shaggy Ridge, in the 7th Light Horse Regiment, later the 2nd/10th battalion. It was a surprise for the boys' grandmother, Susan McInnes, to find out when she first brought her husband-to-be Ken to meet her parents; both their fathers had fought in the very same battle.

"They said I didn't even have to introduce him because they recognised him straight away," she said.

"They said he looked just like his father."

Mrs McInnes said although Anzac Day was a solemn one for her and her husband, she was pleased the young boys were able to take part."They have been asking so many questions because of all the hype about Gallipoli, and Josh asks why people had to fight for their country," she said.

"He's trying to understand … he thought they won the medals, but I keep telling him they're not a prize."

Mrs McInnes said it was a great honour to get the medals out and wear them. "I think particularly this year, it's really commemorating something that happened so long ago and people who fought hard and a lot of people lost their lives," she said. "I don't know how to put it into words … it is always very important to remember the sacrifice our fathers and other people made."

The dawn march departs Queanbeyan RSL at 5.15am and finishes at the cenotaph near the information centre.

The Legacy gunfire breakfast at Walsh's Hotel will be held after the ceremony.