Reg Hitchen, who lived in Wellington for many years, was spotted walking the entire route of the Anzac march with his grandson Michael Koruniak just two days after celebrating his 97th birthday.

Reg Hitchen owned Hitchen's Electrical in Wellington during the 1950s.

He had a shop on Swift Street where the Wellington Business Chamber is today and later moved to the building where Sang's Bakery is, followed by a corner store where Kitch's is today.

Locals who spotted his picture in the Northern Daily Leader said he was a well-liked, community-minded person who was still missed in Wellington today.

He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and played the trombone in the town band.

Many people would have bought their first colour television at Hitchen's Electrical.

Mr Hitchen told the Northern Daily Leader that these days he keeps fit by ballroom dancing once a week, walking around the block three times every couple of days and having a bowl of porridge every morning to keep his stamina up.

He was originally from Coonabarabran and his uncle started the Cooee March from Gilgandra.

In WWII he was a communications technician in New Guinea.

His daughter, Marilyn Koruniak told the Northern Daily Leader that he already had a communications business and though he was in the airforce, his job involved telling the army what the Japanese were doing.

She said the march on Anzac Day meant a lot to him and it was his way of showing respect for the men he served with.

"It's appreciating the sacrifice they made for this country," she said.

Reg Hitchen at the Anzac Day march in Tamworth this year. Photo: Geoff O'Neill