Career
Cole was a mechanical engineer from Bristol, who on 14 December 1915 was awarded with Aviator"s Certificate Number. 2160 on Caudron biplanes at the Ruffy-Baumann School at Hendon. He was commissioned as a probationary second lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps on 29 April 1916, was appointed a flying officer on 21 July, and was confirmed in his rank in August.
On 15 September 1916, having been assigned to Number.
60 Squadron to fly a Nieuport fighter, he scored his first victory. Reassigned to Number. 1 Squadron, he once again flew a Nieuport.
He triumphed twice in March 1917, and four times during Bloody April, including two observation balloons. On 1 May 1917, he and fellow ace Frank Sharpe captured a German Albatros Doctorate.III fighter at Roulers-Elverdinghe, receiving promotion to lieutenant the same day.
Following this, Cole was withdrawn from action.
On 6 July 1918 he was promoted to the temporary rank of captain. His record lapses until 1939, when he agreed to let a garage in Downend be used for a first aid post and air raid shelter. On 21 March 1939, he was commissioned as a pilot officer on probation in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
On 31 August 1939, he was confirmed as a pilot officer and promoted to flying officer
Apparently unfit for flight duty, on 27 May 1940 he was transferred to General Duties. On 27 May 1941, he was promoted to flight lieutenant.
On 1 July 1944, he was once again promoted, this time to temporary squadron leader. On 10 February 1954, Cole relinquished his reserve commission, with permission to retain the rank of squadron leader.