Through research the 74-year-old Wagga man has discovered a long lineage of relatives who served in World War I and II, about 23 of them as a matter of fact - and that is just on his father's side.

"Dad's family is a bit like trying to track an elephant through a snowstorm," he said.

Mr Parkin was contacted by a man in Albury who asked him for his grandfather's name before telling him they were related.

It was the start of an interest Mr Parkin went on to adopt, and when he moved from The Rock to Wagga he joined the Family History Society and research became extensive.

He was fascinated by the training scheme during World War I, which saw three of his father's cousins called to serve from just 10 years of age.

He also discovered that his uncle Bob Parkin was a truck driver with the Volunteer Defence Corps during World War II and his truck has since been restored and remains at Uranquinty.

"They're just ordinary people that do extraordinary things," he said.

Mr Parkin's late father Jack Parkin served in the military in World War II from 1941.

"He rode a pushbike to Wagga from Galore to join the army and got knocked back," Mr Parkin said.

"I think he had two chances to get in.

"He eventually went to Western Australia for coastal patrol - for when there was a threat of evasion.

"He then went to Papua New Guinea and New Britain."

After serving in the military for four and a half years his dad decided to come home. It was 1946.

"He actually met mum on the train on the way home from the army," Mr Parkin said.

"She was coming back from Sydney to her home in Young."

Jack and Nancy Parkin married before having their first born who tragically died at the age of three, leaving Mr Parkin as an only child.

While war is known to have been a traumatic and life-changing event for those who served, Mr Parkin said his father often spoke about how he missed it.

His father grew up during the Great Depression and attended school in Galore before attending South Wagga School for two years.

"He wasn't really impressed with school so he went back out to the farm - he was a horse breaker," Mr Parkin said.

"One thing he said that helped him is that he used to work in the night with stock so when they went into the jungle he said walking around at night didn't worry him. He liked it.

"He said he learnt a lot.

"His main job was as a military reconnaissance officer so he had to obtain information relating to the activities, resources or military forces of a foreign nation or armed group and report them back.

"He said it was difficult at times, but he wanted to go back to Korea.

"He always regretted not going back, he said he should have never left the army."

Mr Parkin said it is his father and relatives he remembers during commemorations like Anzac Day.

"It's a bit of a memory thing for the people I knew and the ones I never met. I still feel we owe them a bit of a debt for what they did," he said.

"They signed up and they did what they thought was right and they put up with a lot.

"It's a big part of Australia's fabric and Australia has lost a lot of its own identity.

"You also have to remember that Anzac Day started off as the commemoration for World War I but the first time, I think, the Australian troops got called into action was Maori War in the 1850s, then the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, the Boer War in 1902, then 1914-18 war, then they fought in Russia in 1918 and then the 39-45 war - then there was Korea, the second Boer War, Vietnam, it's incredible how much a little country has put in.

"It's worth commemorating and it's worth passing on."