FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce has congratulated Gunnedah’s Hugh Belling on his success on being one of 400 recipients of a double pass to attend next year’s Anzac landing centenary.

A total of 42,273 applicants entered in the ballot for tickets to next year’s dawn service and the Centenary of Anzac celebrations at Gallipoli, Mr Joyce said.

Mr Belling’s father, Arthur, was in the second wave of Australian troops landing on Anzac Cove, hitting the beach at about 9am or 10am.

“Dad was living at Tarcutta and was at the Wagga show in August 1914 and joined up,” Mr Belling said.

“His number was 1512.”

Mr Belling said his father was wounded just after the battle of Lone Pine and eventually was invalided back to Australia where he drew a soldier/settler block at Old Junee where Hugh Belling was born.

“Dad was the only survivor of his platoon. Of the 700 men in his battalion involved in the five days of fighting on Lone Pine only 63 were able to attend roll call,” Mr Belling said.

Hugh Belling also served Australia in time of war, joining up as a signaller and artilleryman when he was called up in February 1942. He served overseas in Bougainville.

Mr Belling will be 92 when he travels to Turkey to attend the Centenary of Anzac Celebrations.

Mr Joyce said the Centenary of Anzac would be one of the most significant periods of commemoration in the nation’s history and the Government was committed to providing opportunities for all Australians to commemorate.