George Cole (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir George Sinclair Cole KCB CBE (1911–1973) was a British Army
General who achieved high office in the 1960s.
in 1931.
He served in World War II
as a member of the British Expeditionary Force
deployed to France
in 1939 and than as a General Staff Officer in Military Operations at the War Office
from 1943. He became Commanding Officer
of 58th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
within 21st Army Group in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Military Assistant to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1946 and Military Assistant to the Chairman of Western Europe Commanders-in-Chief in 1949. He went to the Joint Services Staff College
in 1950 after which he became Deputy Chief of Staff, Allied Land Forces, Central Europe in 1950. He was then made Head of the Exercise Planning Staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
in 1951.
He went to the Imperial Defence College in 1953 and then became Commanding Officer
of 40th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
in Egypt
and Cyprus
from 1954 to 1955. He was Commander
Royal Artillery
for 1st Infantry Division from 1956 to 1959 when he became Secretary of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. He was appointed Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
in 1961 and General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Eastern Command
in 1965. He went on to be Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in 1966: he retired in 1967.
He was a keen golf
er.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
General who achieved high office in the 1960s.
Military career
Educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, George Cole was Commissioned into the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1931.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a member of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
deployed to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1939 and than as a General Staff Officer in Military Operations at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
from 1943. He became Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 58th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
within 21st Army Group in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Military Assistant to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1946 and Military Assistant to the Chairman of Western Europe Commanders-in-Chief in 1949. He went to the Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College may refer to:* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Joint Service Defence College"* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies"...
in 1950 after which he became Deputy Chief of Staff, Allied Land Forces, Central Europe in 1950. He was then made Head of the Exercise Planning Staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
in 1951.
He went to the Imperial Defence College in 1953 and then became Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 40th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
from 1954 to 1955. He was Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
for 1st Infantry Division from 1956 to 1959 when he became Secretary of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. He was appointed Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in 1961 and General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
-in-Chief for Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1965. He went on to be Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in 1966: he retired in 1967.
He was a keen golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er.