CORPORAL HERBERT GEORGE MUSTOE
ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
8TH JUNE 1917 AGE 33
BURIED: BRANDHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY, FRANCE
This has been the motto of the Royal Air Force since it first came into being as the Royal Flying Corps in 1912: 'Per ardua ad astra', 'Through rough ways to the stars'. It is not an ancient, classical quotation and no one knows exactly where it came from. The story goes that it was suggested by someone who had read it in Rider Haggard's 'People of the Mist'. There it was the motto of the Outrams of Outram Hall and the inspiration for the two Outram brothers' quest to seek their fortune so as to be able to regain the family's inheritance, lost by their disgraced father:
"Per ardua ad astra," said Tom, absently reading the family motto which alternated pretty regularly with a second device that some members of it had adopted - "For heart, home, and honour."
"'Per ardua ad astra' - 'Through struggle to the stars' - and 'For heart, home and honour'," repeated Tom; "well, I think that our family never needed such consolations more, if indeed there are any to be found in mottoes. Our heart is broken, our hearth is desolate, and our honour is a byword, but there remains the 'struggle' and the 'stars'.
There is a suggestion that the RAF motto was inspired by lines from Virgil's Aeneid, Book IX Line 641 'Sic itur ad astra', 'Thus you shall go to the stars'. Virgil's lines certainly contain the words 'ad astra' but the sentiment bears much more resemblance to Seneca the Younger's 'Confragosa in fastigium dignitatis via est', 'It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness'.
Herbert Mustoe's wife, Daisy, chose his inscription. Mustoe, a house painter from Norwood, London, enlisted in the Royal Artillery during the summer of 1915 as part of the 39th (Deptford) Brigade. The brigade went to France in March 1916 where they continued their training before going into action in December. Mustoe served in D Battery, 186th Deptford (Howitzer) Brigade. We don't know exactly what happened to him but the 'Short History of the 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery' reports:
"During the first week in June (1917) the Divisional Artillery co-operated in two demonstrations against the enemy's trench system and batteries, especially during an attack made by troops on the right against Wytschaete-Messines and Hill 60. C/186th were very heavily shelled and compelled to leave their position after having two gun pits set on fire and ammunition blown up." This is followed by another comment: "Early in July (1917) the 186th Brigade was withdrawn having had a most unpleasant time in the past month". It was during this "most unpleasant time" that Corporal Mustoe died of wounds at a Field ambulance dressing station in Brandhoek.