Military Service
In 1861 he joined the Hobart Town Artillery Company and held the rank of Sergeant. After migrating to New Zealand, in December 1866 Pitt was appointed to command the Nelson Artillery Volunteer Cadet Corps. In 1871 the Corps was renamed the Nelson Volunteer Artillery Corps with Pitt remaining its Captain. On 8 November 1877 he was appointed Commander of the Nelson militia and volunteer district and given the rank of Major. A position he held until elected to Parliament in September 1879.
In 1881 Pitt commanded about 900 volunteers on active service at Parihaka under Lieut-Colonel Roberts expedition to arrest Te Whiti, Tohu, and Hiroki. In 1885 Pitt was appointed a Lieutenant-Colonel of the New Zealand Militia. When the volunteer districts were consolidated in 1895, Pitt was appointed to the command of the Nelson district. The volunteer district included Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland. Pitt was awarded the New Zealand long-service medal and the Imperial volunteer officer's decoration. In 1897, he commanded a contingent of volunteers from New Zealand that went to England for the celebrations of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Pitt resigned his command on being called to the Legislative Council in 1899.
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