Prime Minister Scott Morrison has overruled a decision by one of his ministers to cancel the Anzac Day dawn service on the Western Front in France.

Key points: Mr Chester said he would move the service at the request of local French authorities

Mr Chester said he would move the service at the request of local French authorities Mr Morrison said a tradition had developed around the service being held at dawn

Mr Morrison said a tradition had developed around the service being held at dawn Ex-service organisations would be consulted before any further changes to commemorations, Mr Chester said

This morning, Veterans' Affairs Minister Darren Chester said he would move the Anzac Day service at Villers-Bretonneux from dawn to 10:00am after local French authorities said they would like the service to start later.

"We expect it will see more local schoolchildren be able to attend, for example," Mr Chester said.

"At Villers-Bretonneux, there's been no long-held tradition in terms of dawn service. It's something that's moved around over the years, and the expectation is there'll be more people able to attend the service and then also visit the new Sir John Monash centre."

But just an hour later on ABC Radio Melbourne, that was overruled by Mr Morrison, who said the service would go ahead at dawn "as usual".

"I understand that the Villers-Bretonneux service, the dawn element of that, is different to what it is at Gallipoli. I mean it was a dawn landing in Gallipoli," Mr Morrison said.

"But that said, there is a tradition that has developed in recent times about that service in Villers-Bretonneux and I want to ensure the integrity of that is kept.

"Because the people I care most about on this is our veterans and how they feel about it."

The 1918 battle at Villers-Bretonneux saw Australian troops turn back the Germans' 1918 spring offensive, setting the scene for the final victory on the Western Front later that year.

A British general called the Anzac attack, which cost more than 1,000 Australian lives, "perhaps the greatest individual feat of the war".

Proposed changes no concern, RSL says

The Returned and Services League (RSL) said it did not mind what time Anzac Day commemorations were held at Villers-Bretonneux, provided the battle was commemorated.

Interim national chairman of the board of directors John King said he was informed of the proposed changes last week, and was not concerned because that was the tradition prior to 2008.

"There always was a service at 10:00am on the first Saturday closest to Anzac Day. Of course that meant that local schoolchildren, local parents and tourists could attend that service," he said.

A dawn service has only been held at Villers-Bretonneux since 2008. ( Reuters: Pascal Rossignol )

Mr King said the RSL did not approach the prime minister about the changes

"It's entirely off his own back when he was talking to Sky News and he was asked the question," he said.

Mr Chester subsequently released a statement saying he would consult ex-service organisations before considering any further changes to Anzac Day commemorations in France.

"When it comes to sensitive matters like this, which are at the heart of our entire nation, it is vital that the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) conducts full consultations with ex-service organisations and the general public before they make any changes," he said.

"That's what the public expect, it's what the Prime Minister and the Government expect."

A dawn service has only been held at the site since 2008.