Royal Air Force Pipe Band Association

Marching down the Royal Mile, the band was the only military pipe band playing at the State Opening of Scottish Parliament!

Events

The massed pipes and drums at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2006 (photo courtesy of Mark Owens, MOD).

Another successful Edinburgh Military Tattoo! The RAF were brought forward a year to appear in Edinburgh in 2006. Following this successful appearance we have been invited to play in 2007 at Tattoos in Basel, Moscow and the Dutch National Tattoo again. We have also been asked to play in China!

Pipe Major Ian Hughes of RAF Leuchars with the file from the RAF Pipes and Drums.

The RAF Pipes & Drums were again featured in an international event: the Dutch National Tattoo had massed pipes and drums which included the Canadian Scottish, Aberdeen University OTC, the Dutch Pipes and Drums from Tilburg and of course the RAF Pipes and Drums. The RAF was also well represented by the Queen's Colour Squadron drill display accompanied by the Central Band. The event started with a street parade through 's Hertogenbosch on the 24th September and finished on 29th September. This was the first time the event had been held indoors, previously being held at Breda.

More pictures from the tattoo can be seen on the Dutch Pipes and Drums' site. Alastair Pether and Alan Dunn's informal pictures can be seen on their site.

The word tattoo or taptoe comes from a Dutch phrase meaning turn off the [beer] taps and return to barracks!

The massed pipes and drums in rehearsals and below at the Tattoo (photo courtesy of SAC Rob Smith, RAF Northolt).

The RAF Pipes & Drums took centre stage (above) with a 12 minute slot at the Isle of Man Tattoo at Tynwald Hill, St John's, on Saturday 16 July. The Tattoo, which this year commemorated the 60th anniversary of VE Day, also featured musical performances from brass and military bands. The RAF P&Ds comprise voluntary pipers and drummers drawn from across the RAF's five Unit pipe bands and provided a traditional 12 minute display that included marches, strathspeys, reels and jigs. In the Finale, the RAF P&Ds joined with the other bands for a combined musical performance that included the stirring tune Highland Cathedral before the firework display.

The five current bands travel widely and often play as the combined pipes and drums of the Royal Air Force. Seen below on the steps of Sydney Opera House the combined band played at the Edinburgh Tattoo, a Salute to Australia in January, 2005.