Herbert John Pitman was born in Sutton Montis near Castle Cary, Somerset, England on the 20th of November in the year 1877.

Pitman went to sea at the age 17, and was a veteran of 17 years at sea when he sailed on the RMS Titanic as the Third Officer.

Pitman had served for 3 years as an officer on a sailing ship before transferring to the steamship line.

He then served 12 months in the Blue Anchor Line, 6 months in the Shore Line, and 5 years in the White Star Line entering as fifth Officer on board the RMS Medic.

Pitman was transferred from the RMS Oceanic to the RMS Titanic as the Third Officer in March 1912. When he signed his transferr papers he was 34 years old.

Pitman was asleep at the time of the collision and was awoken by Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall. He was instructed during the sinking to help First Officer Murdoch fill the starboard side lifeboats.

At 12:55am Pitman was filling boat no.5. he allowed a few men in and mostly women until the boat had forty-one occupants. Its capacity was 65. He then jumped out to assist in lowering, leaving Quartermaster Alfred Olliver in command.

First Officer Murdoch told him, "You go in charge of this boat and also look after the others. Stand by to come along the after gangway when hailed."

Herbert Pitman was rescued by the Carpathia and testified at both the British and US enquiries where he unfortunately broke down through stress and shock.

In 1916 he recieved a commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and saw out the First World War as a Stores Officer on board a Destroyer. By the end of the war, he was a Lieutenant-Commander and in 1925 he recieved the Reserve Decoration (RD).

Lieutenant-Commander Pitman remained at sea for another 35 years, although failing vision forced him to leave the bridge and join the pursers staff.

He never recieved his own command.

Lieutenant-Commander Herbert John Pitman, RD, RNR, was created a Member of The Order Of The British Empire (MBE) in 1955.

A widower, he retired to the village of Pitcombe, England, where he lived with a niece.

On the 3rd of December 1961, Lieutenant-Commander Herbert John Pitman, MBE, RD, RNR, died. He was buried in the church yard of the village of Pitcombe near Bruton (also in Somerset).