We Care!

Heart of Oak: the history of a march
by Virginia Beaton
When to send more a French than fleet 1000 from Maritime Forces Until Atlantic Admiral personnel Lord Nelson’s marched through celebrate the the streets triumph of Halifax of the on May Though 4, 2010, David it was Garrick to the tune was of
the Quiberon Canadian Bay Navy's near Brittany, traditional march, triumph titled at Heart Trafalgar of Oak. in 1805, The march British was a fitting military choice forces for and the in day, which born was in Hereford the 100th in anniversary
1717, his
of to the invade day the that British the Naval Isles. Service To Act there received would Royal not Assent, be another creating the particular, Canadian the Navy. Royal Mayor Navy. Peter The Kelly grandfather of Halifax Regional was a French Municipality
defend declared itself the and day to forestall to be Navy Day, victory and granted at sea that the Navy so captured the Freedom reference of the City to so oak, that a tree they known might march Protestant through who the city left France with drums
beating, an invasion Colours by a hostile flying and force, bayonets the fixed. public Originally imagination. the favoured The march for its of strength the Royal and Navy, endurance, Heart of Oak for is the religious official and or semi-official
political
march Britain of needed the Canadian, a definitive Royal win Australian military and honoured Royal New the Zealand prowess Navies. expressed With its the bright confidence tempo, energetic and reasons rhythms in and the stirring late 17th lyrics, century.
Heart at sea. of Oak always seems to motivate of its parade leaders, participants according to
stand tall optimism and keep that up the were pace. widespread The words David`s are, without father a doubt, Peter was addressed born
to During the rank the and Battle file military of member; Arthur the words Herman, have describing a directness a and among clarity that the British invoke public. a sense of comradeship, in France a but shared came purpose to England and
above Quiberon all, a Bay, sense 23 British of pride. ships toast offered by officers: “May Arthur Herman quotes the at a very young age and was
of the line, commanded by all our commanders have the politician Horace Walpole, who so thoroughly Anglicized that
Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer, To add something more to this wonderful year; To honour we call you, as free men not
Admiral Edward Hawke, met 21 eye of a Hawke and the heart of stated in the fall of 1759, “Our he joined the British army and
slaves, For who are so free as the sons of the waves?
ships of the line belonging to a Wolfe.”
bells are threadbare with the became a recruiting officer.
Heart the French of oak fleet, are our commanded ships, jolly tars are Considering our men, We the always number are ready; ringing Steady, of boys, victories.” steady. We'll fight and we'll But conquer rather than again follow and in again.
Heart
by Vice
of
Admiral
Oak made
Count
its debut
de
in London
and scale
in 1759,
of successful
as a poem
military
written and read
Considering
by the actor
the
David
British
Garrick during
his father’s
a Christmas
footsteps,
pantomime
David
show
Conflans.
titled
Admiral
Harlequin's
Hawke
Invasion.
sank
Before
engagements
long, it was
in only
set to
four
music by the
nationalist
composer
sentiments
Dr. William Boyce, and
Garrick
its popularity
became
soon
an actor
rivalled or
exceeded
or captured
that
many
of the
of
anthem
the French
Rule Britannia,
months, it
written
is little
by
wonder
Thomas Arne in
expressed
1745. From
in Heart
its beginning,
of Oak’s
Heart of
and
Oak
soon
quickly
made
became
a name
a
for
call to
arms.
ships including
Naval tradition
the flagship,
has it that before
that
the
the
Battle
British
of
public
Trafalgar
was
in 1805, the
lyrics,
drummers
it is interesting
aboard
to
the British ships
himself
beat
as
out
an
the
gifted
rhythms
performer
of the
tune
keeping
as the
his
sailors
own losses
mustered
down;
to their
enthralled
stations. It
by
flourished
the valour
as a standard
note
naval
that
march
Garrick`s
through
family
the 19th and
of
20th
Shakespearean
centuries and
roles
now
such
the
21st
one officer
century,
and
as
50
the
sailors
age of
or
sail gave
displayed
way to the
by
modern
its
had French origins.
age.
as Hamlet
What inspired
and King
Garrick
Lear.
and
He
Boyce
marines
in
killed,
the creation
250 wounded,
of this music,
fighting
and why,
forces.
more
was
than
also
250
a successful
years
later,
and two
does
ships
it still
lost
resonate
because
with
of
meaning
David
for
Garrick,
its listenthen
theatrical
ers? Heart of
Oak
bad weather.
had its genesis
Admiral
in
Hawke’s
Britain in the
a
mid-18th
noted London
century,
manager
when almost
and
every
actions
country
effectively
in Europe
put an
was
end
locked
actor,
in conflicts
playwright
over colonial
a playwright,
and
economic
to the French
ambitions.
plans to
The
cross
battlegrounds
the and theatrical
extended to
spending
North America,
many
the
channel
Caribbean,
and invade
the Mediterranean
Britain.
and
entrepreneur,
India, and
was
the fighting
years at the
took
place
The government
both on land
was
and
saved,
at sea. For nations
one of those
such as
people
England,
Theatre Royal,
France,
Germany
the sense of
and
public
Spain,
order
military
and
success
to be
or failure
swept up
had
in
immense
Drury Lane
impact
in
on
safety
everything
was maintained,
from political
and
and geographic
the widespread
power to control
London.
of
His
trade
plays
and
British
resources.
citizens
In
were
Garrick’s
reassured
poem, the
patriotic
wonderful
fervour.
year to
were
which
very
he
stylish
referred
that their
was
army
1759,
and
a year
navy
during
could
which
His
the
lyrics
British
to
Navy and
and
Army
well received
won
several
provide
important
a robust defence
military
of
actions within
Heart of Oak
a
by
short
audiences
period
in
of
their island nation.
time.
his time,
The
but
ground-
they
work
have since
for these
fallen
victories
into obscurity
had begun a
year
and the
earlier,
lyrics
when a
massive
to Heart
British
of Oak
force
departed
may be his
Halifax
most
to
attack
widely
the
known
French
work
fortress
today. Following
of Louisbourg,
his death
according
in 1779,
to
Garrick
historian
was
Arthur
buried
Herman
in Poets’
in
Corner
his book
in
To
Westminster
Rule The Waves:
Abbey,
making
How the
him
British
the
Navy
Shaped
first actor
the
to
Modern
be so
honoured.
World (HarperCollins
However,
many
Publishers,
theatres
2004).
have
Herman
honoured
writes
“..in
Garrick
1758
by
Admiral
naming
their
Boscawen
buildings
and Gen-
in
his
eral
honour,
Amherst
as
ran
an
acknowledgement
a joint army-navy
siege
of his
of
importance
Louisbourg,
forcing
within the
the city
theatrical
to surrender and
profession.
thus cutting
In
off
fact,
one
the French
of Halifax’s
army
in
early
Canada.”
theatres
In
was
August
named
1759,
the
Admiral
Garrick.
Boscawen
was patrolling with
his fleet off the coast