Sir John Pitka 1872–1944

A large life

EVA VABASALU

Most of us know Sir John Pitka as the commanding officer of the Estonian Navy during Estonia’s War of Independence 1918–1920 from the Soviet Union, and for his knighthood from King George V in 1920.

We may not know that shortly after Pitka was promoted to Rear Admiral, his mental health from the stress of war was so compromised that on Dec. 14, 1919 he was given a six month vacation leave. Pitka went to England. He had lived in Liverpool in the years 1903–1912 operating a shipping brokerage firm, Pitka & Jummutz. Shortly after his departure from Estonia, a peace treaty was signed on February 2, 1920.

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