Corporal William Cadenhead Royal Engineers and St Andrew's Ambulance Association
William Cadenhead
The Man William Cadenhead (Bill) was born at 2010h on Friday 22nd November 1901 at 30 Millgate Loan, Arbroath Scotland son of William Henry Jackson a Railway Clerk and Jessie Irene nee Fairweather.
Following his education aged 16, in 1918 Bill followed his father and grandfather before him, working for the Caledonian Railway (CR) as a Clerk at Dundee West Goods Station and in 1919 aged, joined the Caledonian Railway Ambulance Brigade of the St Andrews Ambulance Corps (SAAC). The Caledonian Railway became the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923 and then absorbed into British Rail (BR) in 1948.
On Wednesday 28th April 1928 aged 26, Bill married Charlotte Blairford in Dundee and in 1930 they moved to London as Bill was now working in the LMS accounts department and whilst there, had their only child William Paton ‘Billy’ born on 11th May 1931.
Whilst in London, Bill continued his ambulance service with the St John Ambulance Association and awarded their first aid medallion with several clasps dating from 1931 to 1948, he also qualified for his Voluntary Medical Services Medal (VMSM) in about 1934.
Before the start of World War II Bill had enlisted into the Militia, Royal Engineers with service number 7339520 and was later promoted to Corporal, he was released from the LMS to the Territorial Army in 1939 with World War II imminent. The 1939 Register shows Charlotte and Billy living at 3 Hillside Avenue, Watford, Bill already with the British Expeditionary Force in France with the Railways Dock Group RE, this being largely composed of railway men. He was part of the first complete unit to serve in France in 1939 and the last to escape from Cherbourg, two weeks after the evacuation from Dunkirk.
Bill remained in the UK for the rest of the war, his service intertwining with his job on the railways, however, Billy sadly died in Dundee on 10th August 1944 aged just 13, the result of an accident whilst he was apparently living with his grandmother Jessie.
At the end of the war Bill was awarded his 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 20 of 1946 his Efficiency Medal ‘Militia’.
Following his education aged 16, in 1918 Bill followed his father and grandfather before him, working for the Caledonian Railway (CR) as a Clerk at Dundee West Goods Station and in 1919 aged, joined the Caledonian Railway Ambulance Brigade of the St Andrews Ambulance Corps (SAAC). The Caledonian Railway became the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923 and then absorbed into British Rail (BR) in 1948.
On Wednesday 28th April 1928 aged 26, Bill married Charlotte Blairford in Dundee and in 1930 they moved to London as Bill was now working in the LMS accounts department and whilst there, had their only child William Paton ‘Billy’ born on 11th May 1931.
Whilst in London, Bill continued his ambulance service with the St John Ambulance Association and awarded their first aid medallion with several clasps dating from 1931 to 1948, he also qualified for his Voluntary Medical Services Medal (VMSM) in about 1934.
Before the start of World War II Bill had enlisted into the Militia, Royal Engineers with service number 7339520 and was later promoted to Corporal, he was released from the LMS to the Territorial Army in 1939 with World War II imminent. The 1939 Register shows Charlotte and Billy living at 3 Hillside Avenue, Watford, Bill already with the British Expeditionary Force in France with the Railways Dock Group RE, this being largely composed of railway men. He was part of the first complete unit to serve in France in 1939 and the last to escape from Cherbourg, two weeks after the evacuation from Dunkirk.
Bill remained in the UK for the rest of the war, his service intertwining with his job on the railways, however, Billy sadly died in Dundee on 10th August 1944 aged just 13, the result of an accident whilst he was apparently living with his grandmother Jessie.
At the end of the war Bill was awarded his 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 20 of 1946 his Efficiency Medal ‘Militia’.
British Empire Medal (Civil). 1939-45 Star. Defence Medal. War Medal 1939-45. Efficiency Medal 'Militia'. Voluntary Medical Services Medal and six clasps.
Bill and Charlotte returned to Dundee in 1948 living at 8 Bellefield Avenue and for the remainder of his career continued with BR. In 1949 he became Secretary and Assistant Commandant of Dundee West Company of the SAAC and the Dundee representative to St Andrew’s HQ in Glasgow from 1962, holding these roles until his untimely death some years later. In 1948 he was belatedly awarded his VMSM which also recognised his service with the St John in London.
In 1951 Bill was awarded the 30 years clasp to his LMS gold medal for ambulance service. He retired on Wednesday 22nd November 1961 aged 60 after 48 years’ service with the railways, continuing his work as a volunteer with the Dundee West Company (BR) St Andrew’s Ambulance Association, additionally he was awarded a total of six clasps to his VMSM (one for each five years following 1934) totalling 45 year’s voluntary service.
Bill expected to be busy in retirement, he was an Elder of Dundee Parish Church of St Mary, a life member of St David’s Masonic Lodge and he planned on taking up part time clerical work as well as maintaining his ambulance corps activities.
In the New Year Honours list of January 1962, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for his dedicated service of 43 years’ to the St Andrew Ambulance. This was presented to him by the Lord Provost of Dundee, Maurice McManus in Dundee City Chambers on 26th March 1962.
On 28th August 1972 aged 70, Bill died suddenly at Dundee Royal Infirmary, thus ended 53 years ambulance service. Charlotte lived a further 17 years and died in March 1989 aged 76.
In 1951 Bill was awarded the 30 years clasp to his LMS gold medal for ambulance service. He retired on Wednesday 22nd November 1961 aged 60 after 48 years’ service with the railways, continuing his work as a volunteer with the Dundee West Company (BR) St Andrew’s Ambulance Association, additionally he was awarded a total of six clasps to his VMSM (one for each five years following 1934) totalling 45 year’s voluntary service.
Bill expected to be busy in retirement, he was an Elder of Dundee Parish Church of St Mary, a life member of St David’s Masonic Lodge and he planned on taking up part time clerical work as well as maintaining his ambulance corps activities.
In the New Year Honours list of January 1962, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for his dedicated service of 43 years’ to the St Andrew Ambulance. This was presented to him by the Lord Provost of Dundee, Maurice McManus in Dundee City Chambers on 26th March 1962.
On 28th August 1972 aged 70, Bill died suddenly at Dundee Royal Infirmary, thus ended 53 years ambulance service. Charlotte lived a further 17 years and died in March 1989 aged 76.
The Arbroath Herald. Friday 5th January 1962.
The Story The medals awarded to William Cadenhead were purchased from Cinque Ports Militaria at Malvern Militaria Fair on Sunday 24th March 2024. They were of interest because of the double long service combination, a Militia Efficiency Medal and six clasps on the Voluntary Medical Services Medal, plus a British Empire Medal, an unusual combination.
The BEM was engraved with William’s first name but as he had lived in Scotland nothing could be found on Ancestry. However, a search of the newspaper archives revealed stories of the award of his BEM in 1962, this enabling a brief biography to be put together and the acquisition of his birth certificate from Scotland’s People.
The newspaper reports confirming he had been evacuated from France in 1940, this effectively confirming his World War II medal entitlement in the group. This was later confirmed when ancestry released the WWII Medal Index Cards in 2024.
On 8th April 2025 contact was made via this website from Lt Col Alan J Sharkey OBE CStJ TD (Ret'd), who had acquired Bill Cadenhead’s St John Ambulance Association First Aid Medallion from an online auction resently. Alan kindly provided a much more detailed biography for Bill including a photograph of him from newspaper archives.
Following some negotiation, Alan very graciously agreed to part with the SJA medallion enabling it to be reunited with Bill’s medals, forming an unusual combination of St Andrews and St John awards. Alas there is no trace of Bill’s gold LMS Medal!
A great result and very pleasing to now be able to remember Bill in more detail for his outstanding service to his country.
The BEM was engraved with William’s first name but as he had lived in Scotland nothing could be found on Ancestry. However, a search of the newspaper archives revealed stories of the award of his BEM in 1962, this enabling a brief biography to be put together and the acquisition of his birth certificate from Scotland’s People.
The newspaper reports confirming he had been evacuated from France in 1940, this effectively confirming his World War II medal entitlement in the group. This was later confirmed when ancestry released the WWII Medal Index Cards in 2024.
On 8th April 2025 contact was made via this website from Lt Col Alan J Sharkey OBE CStJ TD (Ret'd), who had acquired Bill Cadenhead’s St John Ambulance Association First Aid Medallion from an online auction resently. Alan kindly provided a much more detailed biography for Bill including a photograph of him from newspaper archives.
Following some negotiation, Alan very graciously agreed to part with the SJA medallion enabling it to be reunited with Bill’s medals, forming an unusual combination of St Andrews and St John awards. Alas there is no trace of Bill’s gold LMS Medal!
A great result and very pleasing to now be able to remember Bill in more detail for his outstanding service to his country.
Bill Cadenhead's Medal Index Card showing award of the 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
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Bill Cadenhead's named St John Ambulance Association Medallion. 1932-38.
The Courier and Advertiser. 29th August 1972.
Medal Details:
- British Empire Medal: WILLIAM CADENHEAD
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded
- Efficiency Medal: 7339520 CPL.W.CADENHEAD. R.E.
- Voluntary Medical Services Medal: W.CADENHEAD
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This page last updated 21 Apr 25
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