Michael Spender
Michael Spender | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Alfred Spender 11 November 1906 Kensington,London,England |
| Died | 5 May 1945(aged 38) nearSüchteln,Nazi Germany |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Explorer and surveyor |
Michael Alfred Spender(11 November 1906 – 5 May 1945) was an English explorer, surveyor, a leader in photo interpretation in theSecond World War,and anRAFsquadron leader.
Personal life
[edit]He was the eldest son ofHarold Spenderand Violet, and a brother of the poetStephen Spenderand the artistHumphrey Spender.[1][2]
He graduated fromBalliol College,Oxford University,with a double first in Engineering, and then worked as a surveyor on theGreat Barrier Reeffrom 1928 to 1929 and inEast Greenlandin 1932 and 1933. In 1935 he joined anexpedition to the Himalayasand mapped 26 peaks over 26,000 feet.[2]
In 1933 he married his first wife Erika Haarmann, and their son John-Christopher was born in 1936.[3]In the late 1930s the artistNancy Sharp(the first wife ofWilliam Coldstreamand the lover ofLouis MacNeice), fell in love with Spender. Michael and Nancy divorced their respective spouses, and they were married in 1943. Their sonPhilipwas born the same year.[4][5]
Spender was regarded as arrogant and tactless,[2]and he had a difficult relationship with his brother, Stephen.
Death
[edit]On 3 May 1945 Michael was a passenger in anAvro Ansonaircraft, and he was seriously injured when it crashed nearSüchtelnin Germany; he died on 5 May. Stephen was deeply affected, and he wrote theelegySeascapefor his brother.[1]
He was buried at Eindhoven General Cemetery atWoenselin the Netherlands.[6]
References
[edit]- ^abJohn Sutherland,Sir Stephen Harold Spender,Oxford Online Dictionary of National Biography, 2004
- ^abcThe Royal Geographical Society, Imaging Everest, Michael Spender[dead link]
- ^"Explore Kindred Britain".stanford.edu.[dead link]
- ^"Nancy Spender".Telegraph.co.uk.27 June 2001.
- ^Margetson, John (25 June 2001)."Obituary: Nancy Spender".The Guardian.
- ^Reading Room Manchester."CWGC - Casualty Details".cwgc.org.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
- 1906 births
- 1945 deaths
- Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford
- English explorers
- Royal Air Force squadron leaders
- Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
- Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II
- People from Kensington
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Germany
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1945
- Military personnel from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea