Michael was the only son of Denis Holt Marks and his wife Irene Moncrief Colvile. He was born in Lymington, Hampshire where his father was a schoolmaster. He had two younger sisters.
Michael was a Scholar at Eton and Matriculated in 1935. He was awarded a History Scholarship and graduated with a 2nd in 1939.
He had joined the RAFVR and was gazetted as a Pilot Officer on 29 November 1938 to 114 Squadron.
This squadron had been reformed in December 1936. It had previously existed from 1917 until 1920 and in March 1937, it became the first RAF squadron to receive the new high-speed Bristol Blenheim light bomber.
In December 1939, No. 114 took its Blenheim IVs to France and lost most of its aircraft during the German invasion. The Squadron escaped back to Britain, in poor shape, at the end of May when Michael was promoted to Flying Officer. He was promoted to Acting Flight Lieutenant the following January and awarded the D.F.C. which was gazetted on 17 January.
Michael was reported Missing. His death was, later, confirmed to have occurred on 17 February 1941.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 29.
His parents lived at 23 Greville Road London NW6. His father died in 1946 and his mother in 1974.