THOMAS JOSEPH CAFFERY (grave 53)

The cold war was at its height, only one year earlier the world had been on the brink of nuclear catastrophe as the Cuban missile crisis looked likely to lead to all-out war with the Soviets. Had war broken out, the Royal Air Force’s nuclear strike bases would have been amongst the first targets.

Scampton was known to be high on the Soviet target list and to defend against air attack it was protected by Bloodhound surface to air missiles. These missiles flew at over two and a half times the speed of sound with a range of 85 Kilometres.

Corporal Caffery was serving with 141 Squadron which operated the Bloodhounds at Dunholme Lodge. He was killed in a road traffic accident on the Lincoln to Market Rasen Road.