Per ardua ad astra

For other mottos and phrases incorporating the Latin "ad astra", see Ad astra (phrase).
The motto carved into the shelter at Stonefall cemetery in Harrogate, which has Air Force graves from many Commonwealth air forces
Per Ardua Ad Astra, a 1984 memorial sculpture by Oscar Nemon on University Avenue in Toronto, honouring fallen Canadian airmen and women

Per ardua ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "through adversity to the stars"[1] or "through struggle to the stars"[2] that is the official motto of the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces such as the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well as the Royal Indian Air Force until 1947. The Royal Canadian Air Force used it until 1968, when it adopted the motto sic itur ad astra, a similar phrase meaning "such is the pathway to the stars". It dates from 1912, when it was adopted by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps.

  1. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". RAF. 26 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Royal Australian Air Force Badge". Australian Department of Defence. Retrieved 1 February 2012.