Arthur Whitten Brown's long-lost granddaughter discovers secret past

In 1944, Elsie Barber, who was part of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, had a brief romantic relationship with an Royal Air Force pilot named Arthur Brown, often called Buster. Their meeting at the RAF base near High Ercall in Shropshire was kept secret. Elsie was 24 and unmarried, while Buster was a recently married 21-year-old.

Tragically, Buster died a few months later on D-day when his Mosquito fighter plane crashed in the Netherlands. Elsie found herself in a difficult situation. She was pregnant and, after giving birth to a daughter, decided to give her up for adoption.

The little girl grew up not knowing about her true family history. However, decades later, she decided to investigate and uncovered a story of family secrets, sadness, and fame. Judy Bain is now 81 years old and is a living connection to a famous figure in aviation history. Her grandfather, Arthur Whitten Brown senior, made the first nonstop transatlantic flight in 1919, flying from Canada to Ireland in 16 hours and 12 minutes. This incredible achievement astonished and excited the whole world.

For those interested in aviation, Brown’s birthday, 23 July 1886, has a sad association. When he passed away in 1948, he was deeply upset by the death of Buster, his only child. At that time, it was thought that he had no descendants. In reality, he had seven: Judy, her two children, and her four grandchildren.

Judy shared from her home in Perth, Australia, that it saddened her that when her grandfather and father died, there was no other family known. She mentioned that neither of them knew about her existence, and there were no other relatives.

Putting together her family’s history was a mix of happy and sad moments. Discovering the connection to a famous aviator was a pleasant surprise. Alcock and Brown’s flight in their Vickers Vimy biplane was an adventure that demonstrated the potential for long-distance air travel and earned them great recognition and knighthoods.

Buster followed his father into the RAF, married in 1943, and had his brief affair with Elsie while stationed in Shropshire from January to March 1944. He was killed during a reconnaissance mission.

Later that year, Elsie gave up their baby for adoption to a couple in Cornwall. When Judy was around 10 years old, the couple told her she was adopted but avoided discussing it further. She described it as not being a happy childhood, feeling like she did not belong in that family as she was more adventurous than them.

After studying social science at the University of Liverpool, Judy married a Scottish man named Andy Bain. They moved to western Australia in the 1960s. After Andy died from a brain tumour, Judy raised their son and daughter alone while working various jobs, including teaching.

In the 1990s, Judy used a researcher to identify and find her birth mother in Cornwall. Elsie, who was in her 70s and remarried with two adult children, met Judy in Cornwall in 1994. Judy said they got along very well.

However, Elsie mistakenly identified Judy’s father. She seemed to believe it was another RAF pilot with whom she had a relationship in 1944. Elsie died in 2000, aged 81, without ever identifying Buster as the father.

Elsie’s daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Salmon, had a strong interest in family history and DNA research. With Judy’s agreement, she investigated Judy’s parentage. Elizabeth described herself as persistent, stating she would not give up once she started. After confirming that the other RAF pilot was not the father, she identified Buster in 2020. Elizabeth called it a significant breakthrough.

Judy had never heard of the young pilot who died so tragically, but as a schoolgirl, she had learned about his famous father. She found it exciting to discover she had a historical grandparent. One of her four grandchildren, who is Brown’s great-great-grandson, has visited the biplane at the Science Museum in London.

Brendan Lynch, an Irish author who wrote about Alcock and Brown’s achievement, assisted Salmon with her research on Brown and has developed a connection with Judy. He hopes she will attend an event commemorating the landing in Clifden. He mentioned that at previous events, the absence of a Brown relative was keenly felt and that Judy’s presence would mark a long-awaited reunion, bringing a fitting end to one of aviation’s most remarkable adventures.

Illegitimate children faced a significant social stigma in the 1940s. However, Lynch believes the famous aviator would have accepted Judy if he had known about her. He described Arthur Whitten Brown senior not only as a fearless flyer but also as a thoughtful and considerate person among his friends. Lynch is convinced he would have supported his son’s situation and welcomed his granddaughter.

Brown was still grieving Buster’s death when he passed away in 1948, aged 62, from an overdose of sleeping pills. Some believe it was an accident, while others suspect he took his own life. Lynch suggested that if Arthur Whitten Brown senior had met Judy, it might have brought him some comfort.

Judy has inherited her grandfather’s adventurous spirit. She drove a camper van across Australia and enjoyed scuba diving into her 70s. Despite a recent hip operation, she still loves the ocean and enjoys snorkelling near her home.