Digger wanted to march despite collapsing

A war veteran who collapsed during Melbourne's Anzac Day parade wanted to leave his hospital bed and rejoin his comrades.

The man suffered a cardiac arrest and required CPR while marching towards the Shrine of Remembrance on Friday morning.

He was taken to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition, but was keen to head back to the parade as soon as possible, an RSL spokesman said.

"His first question was when could he get back to the march," he said.

The parade was briefly suspended as the man received treatment.

The elderly man remained in a critical condition late on Friday afternoon, a spokeswoman for The Alfred hospital told AAP.