Hundreds of Catholic school students braved the rain and gathered at the Anzac Memorial in Sydney's Hyde Park for the annual RSL and Schools Remember Anzac Commemoration Service to pay tribute to the men and women who served Australia in past wars and conflicts.

Under a grey sky, students from a select group of Catholic schools (St Fiacre's Primary, Leichhardt; Villa Maria Primary, Hunters Hill; St Mary's Primary, Georges Hall; Holy Family Primary, Menai; St Christopher's Primary, Panania; St Bernard's Primary, Botany; St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney and Marist College North Shore) stood alongside Australian army cadets and vowed that the spirit of Anzac Day would not be forgotten with the last of Australia's veterans.

Year 11 student Lloyd Ruz, from St Mary's Cathedral College chaired the ceremony and recited the Prayer for Peace, as other students continued to recite poems, sing the national anthem and give the Anzac address, before bowing their heads for a minute's silence.

St Mary's Georges Hall School Captain Sophie McGing was one of the select groups of students chosen to lay a floral wreath at the memorial.

Cardinal George Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney, the Hon. John Della Bosca, NSW's Minister for Education and Training, Don Rowe, RSL Australia's NSW State President and Brian Croke, NSW Catholic Education Commission's Executive Director, joined the students in sharing the significance of the Anzac tradition.