Diggers in Bathhurst were trying to come to terms with the desecration of their war memorial overnight.
The diggers, who had been looking forward to the dawn service, said they were brought to tears after five teenaged girls had allegedly painted "ANZAC murderers" and "Aussies don't fight" on Bathurst's Carillion War Memorial.
The war veterans, along with many others, were forced to work through the night to clean up the memorial in time for the dawn service.
The five girls were arrested.
Sergeant Andrew Holland told smh.com.au police were called to the memorial after reports that "hoodlums" had covered the sacred site with highly offensive graffiti.
"Police arrived a short time later and observed that they had painted approximately one metre high, [beige coloured] slogans all the way around the exteriors of the war memorial using words such as "ANZAC murderers" and "Aussies don't fight" along with peace symbols," he said.
"They've then taken the remnants of the four-litre paint cans and splashed these on the doors and external steps of the war memorial."
When the teenagers were tracked down by police, some were allegedly still covered in paint.
The group, aged between 15 and 17, were arrested and taken to Bathurst police station, he said.
A 17-year-old was charged with two counts of malicious damage, break, enter and steal and offensive conduct.
She is due to appear at Bathurst Children's Court on May 28.
"The other four juveniles are going through the juvenile cautioning process where a determination of police action will be made by the local youth liaison officer," Mr Holland said.
More than 30 people, including members of the military, Fire Brigades and local council, worked through the night to remove the graffiti before this morning's ANZAC Day dawn service, he said.
Bill Abbot, president of the Bathurst RSL sub-branch, said he was horrified by the "garbage" that had been left on the memorial.
"Absolutely devastated. I was in tears. It was really hard to believe. Everybody was devastated of course," the 60-year-old Vietnam veteran said.
"It's very hard to comprehend really. I think that once the perpetrators sobered up, they would probably be ashamed as well."
He said he was heartened by the community's efforts to clean up the site.
"The NSW Fire Brigade and the local army were terrific. Fair dinkum, everyone just jumped in and give us a hand. It was really community spirit."
Jim MeFerran, honorary secretary of the Bathurst RSL sub-branch, said he wanted the alleged offenders to be required to meet war veterans and war veteran widows to understand what ANZAC Day is all about.
The carillion war memorial in Bathurst in Central Western NSW was vandalised just hours before a dawn ANZAC day service. Police allege that five teenage girls aged 15 and 16 were involved.

'Diggers' who had been looking forward to the dawn service said they were bought to tears after they learned that statements saying "ANZAC murderers" and "Aussies don't fight" were painted on the war memorial.

Police say they were called to the memorial after reports that a group of vandals had covered the shrine with offensive graffiti. Sergent Andrew Holand from Bathurst police said "Police arrived a short time later and observed that they had painted approximately one metre high, beige coloured slogans all the way around the exteriors of the war memorial using words such as "ANZAC murderers" and "Aussies don't fight" along with peace symbols".

"They've then taken the remnants of the four-litre paint cans and splashed these on the doors and external steps of the war memorial," he said.

When police located the group of five teenagers some were still covered in paint. All were taken to Bathurst Police Station where the 16 year-old girl was charged with maliciously damaging a shrine or war memorial and malicious damage to police property. It is alleged after she was arrested she damaged a police cell.

The four other girls involved, all aged 15 will be cautioned under the state's Youth Offenders Act.

Jim McFerran from the Bathurst Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) said he was humbled by efforts to clean up the graffiti. He said an effort involving RSL members, local army personnel, council workers, volunteer firefighters and a group of young men on their way home after a night out.

"We had about a dozen young fellas that were going home from the pub, they sort of stopped and said: 'What's going on here?'," said Mr McFerran.

"When they got told, they sort of walked over, bloody downed their things, grabbed ... pads and rags and starting getting in there with the rest of us."

NSW Premier Morris Iemma condemned the vandalism, saying "They need a history lesson and a good kick up the backside as well."