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Granddaughter Discovers Link to Aviation Pioneer
23 Jul
Summary
- An 81-year-old woman learned she's related to aviation hero Arthur Whitten Brown.
- Her father, a WWII pilot, had a secret relationship leading to her birth.
- Brown's 1919 transatlantic flight was a historic aviation achievement.
Judy Bain, an 81-year-old from Perth, Australia, has uncovered a remarkable family secret: she is the granddaughter of Arthur Whitten Brown, the legendary aviator who, with John Alcock, completed the first nonstop transatlantic flight in 1919. Bain's father, Arthur 'Buster' Brown, a Royal Air Force pilot, had a brief, clandestine relationship with Elsie Barber in the spring of 1944. Buster was tragically killed in action on D-day that same year.
Elsie, who was pregnant, gave her daughter Judy up for adoption. Judy grew up unaware of her lineage until a recent genealogical investigation, aided by her mother-in-law and an author, identified Buster as her father in 2020. This revelation connected her to a significant figure in aviation history, who was born on July 23, 1886, and died in 1948, unaware of this branch of his family.
Arthur Whitten Brown senior, who received a knighthood for his groundbreaking flight, was believed to have no descendants after his son Buster's death. Now, Judy and her seven descendants, including four grandchildren, represent a living link to the pioneering aviator. The story highlights themes of family secrets, heartbreak, and the enduring legacy of early aviation achievements.
