The "Royal Air Force March Past" is the official march

March (music)

A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...

 of the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 (RAF) and is used in some other Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 air forces.

The original score was completed by Sir Walford Davies in 1918 for the new RAF; it combined the rhythm of the bugle call

Bugle call

A bugle call is a short tune, originating as a military signal announcing scheduled and certain non-scheduled events on a military installation, battlefield, or ship. Historically, bugles, drums, and other loud musical instruments were used for clear communication in the noise and confusion of a...

 of the Royal Flying Corps

Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...

 with that of the Royal Naval Air Service

Royal Naval Air Service

The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...

. The call appears in both the introduction and the coda

Coda (music)

Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...

. The second part of the march past, the trio, was composed by Sir George Dyson

George Dyson (composer)

Sir George Dyson KCVO was a well-known English musician and composer. His son is the physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson and among his grandchildren are the science historian George Dyson and Esther Dyson...

.

The march can be played both as a slow march and a quick march, and has been used as both when the Queen's Colour Squadron

Queen's Colour Squadron

The Queen's Colour Squadron is the unit of the Royal Air Force charged with the safe-keeping of the Queen's Colour for the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom. Since its formation, it has been manned exclusively by officers and men of the RAF Regiment...

 and RAF Central Band perform public duties such as mounting the guard at Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...

.

Canadian version

Authority was granted in February 1943 by His Majesty's Stationery Office

Office of Public Sector Information

The Office of Public Sector Information is the body responsible for the operation of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and of other public information services of the United Kingdom...

 to publish the "RAF March Past" piece in Canada under the title "RCAF March Past". It was the official march of the Royal Canadian Air Force until the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

 in 1968. It continued to be the authorized march of Canadian Forces Air Command

Air Command

Air Command may refer to:* Royal Canadian Air Force, known as Air Command from 1968 to 2011* RAAF Air Command * RAF Air Command * Air Command International Gyrocopter manufacturers....

 and the Air Operations Branch

Air Operations Branch

The Air Operations Branch is a personnel branch of the Canadian Forces .-Air Command Academy:The Air Command Academy in Borden, Ontario provides leadership and management training and imparts leadership and management techniques. The role of the ACA is to broaden awareness of Air Force heritage...

 of the Canadian Forces until the name of Canada's air force reverted to the Royal Canadian Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...

 in August 2011. It is also the official march of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets

Royal Canadian Air Cadets

Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a Canadian national youth program for persons aged 12 to 18. It is administered by the Canadian Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence with additional support from the civilian Air Cadet League of Canada...

 and the Air Force Association of Canada

Air Force Association of Canada

The Air Force Association of Canada is a not-for-profit community service organization of Royal Canadian Air Force veterans and aviation enthusiasts. The AFAC's main goals are to advocate for a well-equipped, professional air force for Canada; interest Canadians in Canadian aerospace issues; and...

.

A pipe band arrangement was composed in the 1950s by Pipe Major

Pipe Major

The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish or Irish pipe band. Like Drum Major, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term Sergeant Piper was used for the role in place of "Pipe Major".Civillian and military...

 A. R. Howie of the CFB Trenton

CFB Trenton

Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad...

 Pipe Band

Pipe band

A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....

, and a trio for pipes was composed in 1970 by Pipe Major Archie Cairns.

Lyrics

The following are the lyrics, composed by Davies. It references the motto

Motto

A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...

 of the RAF, "Per Ardua Ad Astra

Per ardua ad astra

Per ardua ad astra is the motto of the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces such as the RAAF, RCAF, and RNZAF. It dates from 1912 and was used by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps.-Origin:The first Commanding Officer of the Royal Flying Corps was Colonel Frederick Sykes...

" (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.

Audio samples

• MP3 of the RAF March Past
• Performed by The Band of the Royal Air Force College.