About Michael Spender
Lived 1906 – 1945 (aged 38). Michael Spender was a British explorer.
Michael Alfred Spender (11 November 1906 – 5 May 1945) was an English explorer, surveyor, a leader in photo interpretation in the Second World War, and an RAF squadron leader.
Personal life He was the eldest son of Harold Spender and Violet, and a brother of the poet Stephen Spender and the artist Humphrey Spender.
He graduated from Balliol College, Oxford University, with a double first in Engineering, and then worked as a surveyor on the Great Barrier Reef from 1928 to 1929 and in East Greenland in 1932 and 1933. In 1935 he joined an expedition to the Himalayas and mapped 26 peaks over 26,000 feet.
Spender was regarded as arrogant and tactless,
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Important facts
People in Michael Spender's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Michael Spender?
explorer (1906-1945)
When was Michael Spender born?
Michael Spender was born on 11 November 1906 in Kensington.
When did Michael Spender die?
Michael Spender died on 5 May 1945 in Süchteln.
What was Michael Spender's occupation?
Michael Spender was an explorer.
What nationality was Michael Spender?
Michael Spender was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Michael Spender. https://biography.guide/michael-spender/
MLA: "Michael Spender." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/michael-spender/.
Chicago: "Michael Spender." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/michael-spender/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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