He also honoured another friend from his regular army days, Private Tim Aplin, who died in Afghanistan in 2010.

Mr Clifton, 33, of Wangaratta, is now a reserve soldier but knew the two soldiers when he was in the Royal Australian Regiment, Sixth Battalion.

He took part yesterday in a “Stomp for Support”, a pack march organised at 13 locations across Australia by members of the Facebook RAR Buddies group.

Carrying a 32-kilogram pack, he marched alone from Les Stone Park to Baranduda and back.

The march was the group’s way of honouring all 32 soldiers killed in Afghanistan, with the joint aim of raising $50,000 for Legacy.

“We are encouraging Australians to help us achieve this goal by donating to Legacy via our Every Day Hero web page,’’ Mr Clifton said.

He was in the regular army for seven years from the age of 17 and now works at Beechworth’s Amulet Winery.

Mr Clifton said Brett Woods, a commando had been awarded the Medal for Gallantry for heroism in 2006, had been an exceptional soldier.

“Brett was killed in a cowardly act by an IOD (improvised ordnance department) bomb,’’ he said.

Private Aplin and two other Australian soldiers died in a helicopter crash.