JP Berry
M11 Track:
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Henry Etches
Officer Pitman
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Henry Samuel Etches
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Born on October 12, 1868 in Freemantle, Southampton, Hampshire, England one of 12 children
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Married Lilian Rachel Smith in 1896 and never had children
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Employed on Titanic as a steward for 8 aft portside (back left) first class cabins on B-deck and one on A-deck (A-36), that of Thomas Andrews (Played by Ted Guzman).
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Notably one of his B-deck passengers was Benjamin Guggenheim (played by Matthew Diston)
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Stewards earned about £3.15 a month (£450, $570 in 2025)
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During the sinking, Etches aided in waking passengers and bringing them up to the lifeboats.
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Etches had been assigned to man boat 5 and after assisting in the launch of 7, made his way away from the sinking ship in lifeboat 5 with Officer Pitman.
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Pitman wanted to return to search for survivors in the water but ladies in the boat opposed.
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Etches would speak at the U.S. Senate Inquiry and would go on to work as a bathroom steward on the Olympic and Calgaric.
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Etches died in 1994 from heart complications and left his estate to his wife Lilian who lived another decade before her death.
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His remains may have been scattered at sea
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Herbert John Pitman, Third Officer
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Born November 20th, 1877 in Sutton Montis, Somerset, England
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Often called Bert
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Joined the Merchant Navy at 18 and worked his way up the ranks at a few different lines before joining White Star Line in 1906 serving as fourth, third, and second officer.
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Pitman aided in the sea trails in Belfast before the ship set sail, Pitman was the only officer aboard who was not in the Royal Navy Reserve
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Pitman’s duties included working out the ship’s position through celestial observation, finding the deviation of the ship’s compass, general supervision around the decks, looking after the quartermasters, and relieving the officers on the bridge whenever necessary.
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Pitman likely earned about £10 per month (about £1,500, $1,800 today)
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After the collision, Pitman left his bunk to receive orders and immediately reported to his boat station on the starboard (right) side of the ship.
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He assisted in loading and lowering lifeboat 5 which he would remain in charge of the boat, he intended to save those of who were in the water after the wreck but the rest of his boat were concerned they would be swamped.
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Pitman would be called for questioning at both the Senate and British Inquiries and would eventually continue to serve the WHite Star Line on the Oceanic and Olympic.
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Eventually, he would marry and even serve in World War 2 as a Purser abour SS Mataroa (as his eyesight was deteriorating)
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He was awarded in 1946 for his long service at sea when he was about to retire. He would pass in 1961 from a Cerebral Haemorrhage
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