Through Struggle, the Stars, by John Lumpkin
                  



 ... or, as I immediately thought, Per ardua ad astra.  An apt title for this story, and the Latin version even shows up in the text, with the institution bearing it being a direct descendant of the Royal Flying Corps, who are congratulated on their far-sightedness.
 ... or, as I immediately thought, Per ardua ad astra.  An apt title for this story, and the Latin version even shows up in the text, with the institution bearing it being a direct descendant of the Royal Flying Corps, who are congratulated on their far-sightedness.
It's a tale of a young man who enlists in the military with all kinds of gung-ho ideas about what he wants to do, but who ends up, sulkily and largely by accident, as an intelligence officer - and finds that he thoroughly enjoys it.  The world-building is intriguing and largely consistent, but the characters are a little flat.  But for less than two quid I can't complain.  It was enjoyable, and even if it's a bit of fairly mindless cheese, it's good value for money.