Obituary for Michael Cadge

Michael Christopher Cadge (sometimes known as Mike) carried out his National Service with the Royal Artillery. When he returned to Norfolk to practise as a solicitor in the family firm, Cadge and Gilbert, in Loddon he joined the Territorial Army serving with the 4th Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment for 10 years.

Michael, a triplet, was born in Loddon, Norfolk but moved to the ‘safer’ territory of Malborough, Wiltshire during the Second World War. He continued his education in the area finishing at Bradfield College and upon the recommendation of his headmaster he immediately joined the 67th Regiment Royal Artillery to complete his National Service.

He spent two years at Oswestry in a training role. He did a lot of running during this time and was part of the team that won the 18th Training Brigade RA Cross Country Championship in 1954. He spoke of writing letters home for those that couldn’t and Sunday evening train rides back from London, but nothing of firing artillery.

Subsequently he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge to read Law and upon graduating attended Guildford Law School. He completed his articles before returning to Norfolk to join the family solicitor’s practice of Cadge and Gilbert in Loddon, where he continued until his gradual retirement.

He was pretty busy during this time as a bachelor. He joined the Territorial Army serving with 4th Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment for some 10 years. During that time he was selected to carry the colours on two very notable occasions. The first, in 1957, in Hyde Park where the late Queen Elizabeth II conducted a review of the TA. The second, in 1962, was the occasion of Princess Margaret presenting new colours to the 4th Battalion. As a result of his service, he was awarded the Territorial Decoration (TD). He also organised the Regimental Ball for a number of years.

One day, when driving down the A11 to attend a regimental function, he had a minor altercation with a traffic barrier. Whilst being patched up by the ambulance medics, he asked them to hurry up as otherwise he’d be late for tea………with the Queen Mother.

Mike (as he was known in the squash world) was a very good squash player becoming County Champion in 1956 and he played for Norfolk alongside his great friend Major General Sir David Thorne. He was also a member of the ‘Crowners’, a social group of Norfolk bachelors.

Subsequent to his time in service, Michael spent many decades supporting former members of The Royal Norfolk Regiment both in the guise of the ‘regimental solicitor’, providing invaluable legal advice on planned developments (and stopping a few before they gathered too much steam) and as a member of the Regimental Committee, the Finance Committee and The Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum Committee. He was still a member of the Finance Committee, continuing to dispense insightful comments until the last. He was highly regarded by all his peers and those who benefitted from his sage advice. It is no surprise that many of his colleagues and their relatives used him as their personal solicitor across multiple generations. A regular attendee at Regimental gatherings, particularly the Remembrance Service, his presence will be missed at these gatherings.

In his retirement, Michael continued as secretary of the Royal British Legion (Kirby Bedon branch) and played golf with old friends and new until Autumn 2022. He died in September after a short period in hospital.