Three Wangaratta secondary school students will be awarded scholarships during the 2/24 Infantry Battalion Association's annual reunion in the rural city this weekend.

Year 11 students Caitlyn McCarthy from Galen Catholic College, Brady Fischer from Wangaratta High School and Makiah McCallum from Cathedral College Wangaratta are set to receive the annual scholarships, which are part of the association's efforts to continue the battalion's connection with Wangaratta.

The 2/24th AIF Battalion was formed at the Wangaratta Showgrounds in 1940 from 2nd AIF volunteer recruits for overseas service, with members drawn from all parts of Victoria and all walks of life.

Prior to marching out for further training at the Bonegilla camp in September, 1940, the Mayor of the Borough of Wangaratta, Tom Nolan, presented the battalion with a large pennant emblazoned with the words 'Wangaratta's Own'.

The unit saw active service as part of the 9th Australian division in North Africa - at Tobruk, The Salient, Tel el Eisa and El Alamein - suffering heavy casualties along the way.

After regrouping back in Australia in 1943, this now highly successful, experienced and battle-hardened unit went into New Guinea for further action in battles to free Lae, Finschhafen, Sattelberg, Wareo and then Tarakan in Borneo.

The 2/24th Battalion Association was formed in 1948 and, after several reunions in Wangaratta, council granted the unit the 'Freedom of the City on its 50th anniversary in 1990.

Over the years, the association has endeavoured to maintain the battalion's strong link with Wangaratta, and the scholarships are an essential part of this, ensuring future generations are aware of the sacrifices and contributions made for them.

Students who receive the scholarships are chosen by the teachers for having shown involvement, contribution, consideration and an awareness of the needs of others, for the betterment of school and community life.

Other connections made by the association include trees planted in the memorial avenue at the entrance to the Wangaratta Cemetery; a fig tree at the cemetery and in the Wangaratta RSL forecourt; a fig tree at Wangaratta High School which was dedicated in 2011, and two more fig trees gifted to Galen College and Cathedral College this year; all trees were grown from cuttings brought home from Tobruk.

The cemetery memorial gates are named after past president Alan Macfarlane, and a drinking fountain has been placed in the memory of Lt Col C G Weir; a tree was planted in Batchelors Green; there are seats in Wangaratta's central business district and at the cemetery; and a mural in front of the Wangaratta Showgrounds memorialises the formation location of the battalion.

These will all be part of the 2/24th trail around Wangaratta to be developed by the association in collaboration with the Rural City of Wangaratta, Wangaratta High School, Cathedral College, Galen College, Wangaratta RSL Sub-Branch and 33 Army Cadets.

This weekend's reunion remembers the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Tarakan, the engagement fought between Allied and Japanese forces on the island of Tarakan, Borneo during May and June, 1945.

It is also the 85th birthday of the formation of 2/24th AIF - 'Wangaratta's Own' - and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2.

The battalion association will hold a dinner on Saturday night at the RSL, which will include the handover of the student ambassador role from Swaye Frankland to fellow Wangaratta High School student Mia O'Brien, school fig tree plaque presentations to Galen and Cathedral colleges, and a 33 Cadet marching banner presentation to Captain Andrew Finnie.

On Sunday, the battalion association will hold a memorial service at the Wangaratta Cemetery, followed by a light luncheon provided to them by the Wangaratta RSL ladies auxiliary.