THE Creswick RSL Light Horse Troop will lead the Melbourne Anzac Day parade on Monday, becoming the first non-military group to head up the march.Six members of the troop will initially lead the inner city march, expected to be watched by tens of thousands of onlookers, before being joined by another 20 members further into the main procession.The Creswick troop, part of the town’s youth alliance, were invited to lead the parade by the state branch of the RSL, an honour not taken lightly by troop co-founder Gary Chandler. While the invitation is a great feather in the cap for troop members, it will mean they will not be participating at the Anzac Day march at Creswick on Monday.“Leading the Melbourne parade will be a great honour. It is fantastic to see the young people of the troop selected. They will help carry on this tradition into the future,” Mr Chandler said.“The lead for the Melbourne march is normally reserved for ex-military personnel, so for the Creswick troop to be asked is a true honour.”The age of troop participants in the Melbourne parade ranges from 13 to 70 years. At 70, Creswick troop member Barry Burrowes will be the oldest rider in the lead group.“This is a big honour for Gary and a tribute the amount of work he has put in to getting this troop together,” said Mr Burrowes, who is looking forward to catching up with old Diggers on Anzac Day. “I’m looking forward to talking to these old fellows and seeing the huge crowd along the road.”The Creswick RSL Light Horse Troop has also been asked to man each gateway at the MCG before the traditional Anzac Day clash between AFL greats Essendon and Collingwood on Monday afternoon. Troop members have also been invited to lead Governor-General Quentin Bryce in the Reserves Forces Day march on July 31.Formed in 1995, the Creswick RSL Light Horse Troop is a re-enactment group of the 4th Light Horse Regiment which served in Gallipoli, the Middle East and France and known widely as one of the two regiments in the charge at Beersheba during World War I.The Creswick troop now has four sub-troops – Corangamite (Warrnambool), Horsham, Bairnsdale and Yarra Valley.