Thomas Tait Pitman

Major-General Thomas Tait Pitman, CB, CMG, JP (22 December 1868 – 8 March 1941) was a British cavalry officer, who was a general officer during the First World War.[1][2]

Thomas Tait Pitman
Born(1868-12-22)22 December 1868
Died8 March 1941(1941-03-08) (aged 72)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankMajor-General
Commands held11th Hussars
4th Cavalry Brigade
2nd Cavalry Division
48th (South Midland) Division
Battles/warsSecond Boer War
First World War
AwardsCompanion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Personal life

Thomas Tait Pitman was born on 22 December 1868, the son of Frederick Pitman, Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh. He was one of eight brothers, including Frederick Islay Pitman and Charles Murray Pitman. In 1920 he married Violet Mary, only daughter of Sir Michael Lakin, 1st Baronet. He died on 8 March 1941.[3]

Military career

Pitman entered the army in 1889 and served with the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars for 26 years. He was commissioned a second lieutenant on 9 October 1889, was promoted to lieutenant on 6 April 1891, and to captain on 16 April 1895.[4] Seeing service in the North West Frontier campaign 1897–98, he then served in South Africa during the Second Boer War, where he was second-in-command of the 5th battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry.[5] For his service he was mentioned in despatches (dated 1 June 1902, where he is commended for good service at Brakspruit on 11 April 1902[6]). After the end of the war in June 1902, he left Cape Town in the SS Plassy in August, returning to Southampton the following month.[7] On his return he resigned from the Imperial Yeomanry and returned to his regiment.[5][8]

By the outbreak of the First World War, he was a lieutenant-colonel commanding the 11th Hussars and took them to the Western Front in August 1914. He was wounded at the Battle of Messines (1914).[9] Later, he commanded the 4th Cavalry Brigade (1915–16)[10] and the 2nd Cavalry Division (1918–19).[11] He then became General Officer Commanding 48th (South Midland) Division in April 1926 before retiring in April 1930.[12]

He was appointed Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) in 1915[13] and Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1918[14] and mentioned in despatches six times.[3] He was Hon. Colonel of the 11th Hussars from 17 February 1926 to 9 October 1939.[15]

References
  1. "PITMAN, Maj.-Gen. Thomas Tait". Who Was Who. A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015. April 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2015 – via Oxford University Press.
  2. "Obituaries". Times. London, England. 13 March 1941. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  3. "Person Page - 49356". The Peerage. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  4. Hart´s army list, 1903
  5. "No. 27481". The London Gazette. 10 October 1902. p. 6410.
  6. "No. 27455". The London Gazette. 18 July 1902. p. 4596.
  7. "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times (36856). London. 26 August 1902. p. 4.
  8. "No. 27497". The London Gazette. 21 November 1902. p. 7534.
  9. "Lieutenant-Colonel T T Pitman 1914". The British Empire. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  10. Becke 1935, p. 10
  11. Becke 1935, p. 9
  12. "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  13. "No. 12780". The Edinburgh Gazette. 5 March 1915. p. 357.
  14. "No. 30716". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6451.
  15. "11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars 1840 - 1969". The British Empire. Retrieved 14 July 2015.

Bibliography
  • Becke, Major A.F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-09-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Percy Radcliffe		 GOC 48th (South Midland) Division
1926–1930		 Succeeded by
Ivo Vesey
Preceded by
Sir Arthur Lyttelton-Annesley		 Colonel of the 11th Hussars
1926–1939		 Succeeded by
Sir Archibald Fraser Home
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