Michael Vyvyan Spurway (24 January 1909 – 7 July 2007) was a British civil servant in the Colonial Service and later a businessman. He also played county cricket for Somerset, and served as a pilot in the RAF in the Second World War. Early life Spurway and his twin sister were born in Heathfield near Taunton in Somerset, the youngest of six children. His father, Edward Spurway, the local rector, died on 8 February 1914, and three elder brothers were killed in the First World War: two of these brothers, George Vyvan Spurway (1893-1918) and Richard Popham Spurway (1890-1915), attended Sherborne School and their names are recorded in the School's Book of Remembrance. His mother Gertrude Mary Spurway (nee Bagnallas) was left in difficult circumstances, bringing up her two youngest children; Spurway's surviving brother Francis Spurway was an adult by this time. He was educated at St Edward's School in Oxford, and read history at Christ Church, Oxford. He enjoyed sports, playing cricket for his college, and winning a half Blue playing hockey for Oxford University. He also flew with the University Air Squadron. First-class cricket Spurway played cricket for the Somerset Stragglers while at university. He won a place in the Somerset county team as a wicketkeeper-batsman in three games of first-class cricket in July 1929, but yielded his place in the team to his brother, Francis, who had played irregularly for Somerset between 1920 and 1929: both were substitutes for Somerset's regular wicketkeeper, Wally Luckes, who was ill for much of the season. Michael Spurway played against Leicestershire at Taunton, and against Sussex and Derbyshire at Bath. Free-hitting, he was known as "Slogger Spurway". His father and an uncle Robert also played cricket for Somerset in the late 19th century, and a cousin, Robert played for Glamorgan in 1943. Pre-war career Spurway joined the Colonial Service after graduating in 1931. He served in Nigeria, where he played cricket for Nigeria against the Gold Coast and also played polo. He moved to Cyprus in 1939, where he also played cricket. RAF service He left the Colonial Service in November 1940, and joined the RAF as a pilot. Aged 31, he was put on training duties, and became a flying instructor at Fairoaks, flying Tiger Moths. He was transferred to the Middle East in 1942, shipped out on a freighter carrying disassembled Spitfires. The aircraft were reassembled at Takoradi on