Central Band of the Royal Air Force

The Central Band of the Royal Air Force is a special group of musicians who play together as part of the RAF. They belong to the Royal Air Force Music Services, which helps bring music to the Royal Air Force.

This band has a motto in Latin, Aere Invicti, which means “Invincible with the Brass.” This shows how important music is to the spirit of the Royal Air Force. The band plays at many events to celebrate important moments and to honor the work of the RAF.

The musicians in the Central Band are very skilled and work hard to create beautiful music for everyone to enjoy. They travel around to perform at ceremonies, concerts, and other special occasions.

History

The Central Band of the RAF was created in 1920, just after the RAF itself was formed in 1918. One of their songs based on the Dam Busters became quite popular in 1955, reaching a high spot on the music charts.

The band has performed on special radio shows, including one in October 2010 and another to celebrate the RAF's 100th anniversary in April 2018. Today, in 2025, the band is located at RAF Northolt.

Personnel

The Central Band of the Royal Air Force has had many notable people in its history. Some of these include Henry Walford Davies, who founded the RAF Central Band, and Ronnie Aldrich, a well-known British easy listening and jazz pianist. Others include Malcolm Corden, the father of comedian James Corden, Sid Colin, a television and film screenwriter, and Duncan Stubbs, who served as the principal director of music for RAF Music Services.