Royal Air Force March Past
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The "Royal Air Force March Past" is the official march of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other Commonwealth air forces. In Canada, it is known as the "RCAF March Past." Since 1978 the RCAF March Past has been known simply as the "Air Force March Past".
The original score was completed by Sir Henry Walford Davies in 1918 for the new RAF; it combined the rhythm of the bugle call of the Royal Flying Corps with that of the Royal Naval Air Service. The call appears in both the introduction and the coda. The second part of the march past, the trio, was composed by Sir George Dyson.
In 1943, authority was given for its performance in Canada as the "RCAF March Past". It was the official march of the Royal Canadian Air Force until the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968 It is currently the authorized march of both Air Command and the Air Operations Branch of the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, and the Air Force Association of Canada.
Authority was granted in February, 1943, by His Majesty's Stationery Office to publish the "RAF March Past" piece in Canada under the title "RCAF March Past". A pipe band arrangement was composed in the 1950s by Pipe Major A. R. Howie of the CFB Trenton Pipe Band, and a trio for pipes was composed in 1970 by Pipe Major Archie Cairns.
The march has also been adopted by most other Commonwealth air forces.
[edit] Lyrics
The following are the lyrics, composed by Davies. It references the motto of the RAF, "Per Ardua Ad Astra" (Latin, "Through adversity to the stars").
- RAF March Past
- Through adversities we'll conquer.
- Blaze into the stars,
- A trail of glory
- We'll live on land and sea
- 'Til victory is won.
- Men in blue the skies are winging
- In each heart one thought is ringing.
- Fight for the right,
- God is our might,
- We shall be free.
