The crosses laid out in Milton yesterday by the district's RSA were a reminder of the sacrifices of its small community.
A service was held at 11am to mark the start of World War 1 and to honour the district's fallen soldiers at the Milton Field of Remembrance.
Milton Bruce RSA president George Henderson opened the ceremony by laying a wreath at the Cenotaph with Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan.
Mr Cadogan described the ceremony as moving, and read out the names on every cross.
''Just seeing those crosses was chilling. There was such a sacrifice from the Milton Bruce community,'' Mr Cadogan said.
Many of the names are from families still in the community.
Milton Bruce RSA secretary Keith Bain said the crosses were humbling.
''You've really got to see it to grasp it,'' he said.
''Milton Bruce wasn't as big then as it is now.
"You take that number out of it and it really was quite drastic.''
He said the ceremony was watched by a crowd, including pupils from St Mary's Primary School.
Milton Bruce RSA members and the public filed through after the ceremony, placing poppies as a mark of respect for the fallen.
The crosses will be on display for a week.
- Hamish Maclean
