Major-General Eric Stuart Cole CB, CBE (10 February 1906 – 19 December 1992) was a senior British Army officer and telecommunications expert.

A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, he played ten first-class matches in all, and also represented an Egypt side.

In 1934 he designed a transceiver that enabled an expedition consisting of two cars taking a 1500-mile trip across the Western Desert and Libyan Sand Sea to remain in daily contact with their base at Abbassia.

The techniques developed during this and similar expeditions would later be taken up by British Forces in the North African campaign, particularly by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), and helped to give them an edge over their Axis counterparts.

The Corps chief signal officer recommended him for a decoration, initially the Military Cross, which was then downgraded to an MBE, but in the end Cole only received a Mention in dispatches.

[3][11][12] On Cole's return to the United Kingdom he was soon involved in planning the communications for various amphibious operations proposed by Churchill, mostly cancelled before they got off the drawing board.

[3][14][15] In 1946 Cole was appointed chairman of the Joint Communications Board,[3] and his wartime substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel was confirmed.

[18] By January 1958 he was at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe as deputy chief signal officer,[19] and became director of telecommunications at the War Office (with the temporary rank of major-general) on 15 April 1958,[20] receiving substantive promotion on 24 August 1958,[21] and relinquished the role on 27 April 1961,[22] retiring from active duty shortly after.

[25][26] On his retirement in 1961 he joined Ultra Electronics managing their telecommunications business, he was also appointed president of the Radio Society of Great Britain.

He was primarily a bowler, and took 25 first-class wickets[5] with what his Wisden obituary called "highly effective medium-fast out-swingers".

[29] His best bowling figures of four wickets for the cost of 78 runs (4/78) were taken on his County Championship debut for Kent against Lancashire at Old Trafford cricket ground.