Bryan Arundal Wills Monkton was born in 1918 in Canterbury, Victoria. Enlisted in Jan 1940 as a Pilot-Officer, flew Hurricanes and became an instructor, in mid-1940 moved to Boston Bombers with 22 Squadron, promoted to Flight Lt in July 1941, moved to 33 SQN, Townsville, as Commanding Officer flying Empire flying boats and undertaking operations around New Guinea, transferred to 43 SQN undertaking mine laying operations on Catalina flying boats based out of Darwin. Bryan Monkton had a notable post-war career in aviation, he was the founder of Trans Oceanic Airways based in Sydney, he survived a rocket attack while flying over the Belgian Congo, flew the last flying boat crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and at one point was arrested for alleged sabotage in Sydney.