They are place names most Australians would not recognise as they do Gallipoli, Fromelles and Tobruk.

But they are burned into the memories and hearts of ex-servicemen who fought at those places in three of the bloodiest battles involving Australians in the first year of the Korean War.

On Sunday, a commemorative service to mark the 61st anniversary of the uneasy cease fire between South Korea and North Korea will be held in Wagga's Victory Memorial Gardens.

Wagga man Harry Edmonds will be among the Korean War veterans who will remember the 339 Australians killed in the war that raged throughout the Korean Peninsula from 1950 to 1956.

"A lot of my friends are still there, unfortunately, they never made it home," Mr Edmonds said as he stood beside the Korean War Memorial in the gardens.

Mr Edmonds was just 20 years old when he arrived in Korea in late September, 1950, as an infantryman in the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR).

He had enlisted for military service as a teenager in Wagga and spent two years in Japan with occupational forces before sailing to Korea on September 27, 1950.

He was soon embroiled in fighting at Yongju (known as the battle of the apple orchard), at Kujin (known as the battle of broken bridge) and at Kapyong.

"We went from way in the south to way in the north before being kicked back again," Mr Edmonds said of his experiences.

Mr Edmonds left Korea in September, 1951.

He said he was very proud of his service in Korea and of Australia's involvement in the war, defending South Korea from the invading communist North Korea.

"We were fighting for equality for everybody," Mr Edmonds said.

"Communism had a bad name at that stage.

"They wanted to conquer the world, and we stood up and said you're not going to do that."

For its bravery at the Battle of Kapyong, 3 RAR received a US Presidential Unit Citation.

Mr Edmonds, a vice president of the Wagga sub-branch of the RSL, proudly wears the citation with his war medals.

Sunday's service will begin at 11am, although people are asked to gather from 10.30am.

Brian Watts, who has organised the service with Mr Edmonds, will be master of ceremonies for the service that will include a prayer of remembrance by chaplain David Hilliard.

The keynote address will be delivered by Lake Albert Public School pupils Hope Cray and Ben Nosworthy.

That will be followed by the laying of wreaths and the Ode of Remembrance, read by sub-branch president Kevin Kerr.

The Last Post and Rouse will be sounded by a military bugler before the service will be brought to a close with a prayer and the national anthem.

Mr Edmonds said "anyone and everyone" was welcome to attend the service and to enjoy a cup of tea and biscuits/cake in the gardens afterwards.

WHAT: Korean War cease fire commemorative service

WHERE: Victory Memorial Gardens

WHEN: Sunday, July 27, from 10.30am