WITH Anzac Day ceremonies cancelled, Bill Ordway, Colin McCracken and Graham Butler decided to drive their respective World War II era jeeps, draped in Australian flags, down Gawler’s main streets.

Mr Ordway maintains that, based on the history of previous owners, and in an incredible turn of events, the Jeep that he purchased in pieces in the year 2000 and took three years to rebuild, is the exact car he learnt to drive in 60 years ago.

These days, he uses the car to provide transport for elderly war veterans, and for use in Anzac Day parades.

“I lived in the Barossa for 25 years, and I used to go in the Anzac Day march, up at Nuriootpa in particular, and cart the two or three diggers around, together with other people who had Jeeps,” he said.

“I’ve been doing that for quite a number of years, and obviously this year is different so we couldn’t do that, so I said to my wife ‘I’d like to do something, so I might just put a flag on the vehicle and go up the main street.

“So she said ‘why don’t you?’ and I didn’t want to cop a $500 fine for being out when I wasn’t supposed to be, but we decided as long as I’m in the car alone that I’m not breaking any rules.”

From there, Mr Ordway got in touch with fellow historical Jeep owners, and friends, Mr Butler and Mr McCracken, who both revealed they had similar plans in mind.

On Saturday morning, the three met up at the Gawler Central Coles, before heading up Murray Street, down Adelaide Road past Gawler Green Shopping Centre, and then past Trinity College before looping back.

“Of course we didn’t have a crowd like a normal Anzac Day,” Mr Ordway said.

“When they’re four or five deep off the gutter in a proper march, it was nothing like that, but I would say better than 50 per cent of the people responded to our presence in a positive way.

“That’s what made me feel like it was a worthwhile effort… if nobody did anything and they just looked at us funny, then I would’ve thought we didn’t achieve much.

“But I feel like we did achieve something.

“I think it’s a really important part of our history, and I really do feel like we should acknowledge and pay respect to those who have lost their lives to make us free.”