Former army major Christopher James Pitman sacked after urinating on French battlefield while drunk

The great grandson of a Castlemaine WWI digger has been booted out of the Australian Defence Force for drunkenly urinating on a sacrosanct battlefield in France.

First Australian Division on the march north of the river Somme before the third battle of Ypres in World War I. Picture: Supplied

The great grandson of a Castlemaine WWI digger has been officially kicked out of the Australian Defence Force after urinating on a sacrosanct battlefield on a drunken night out during an Anzac Day posting to France.

Former army major Christopher James Pitman admitted at a court martial in June that he got drunk, against orders, while posted in France.

As well as urinating in the river Somme, “whilst intoxicated in front of other subordinates”, Pitman sent “text messages … of an egregious nature” of his crotch to a female subordinate.

The Somme is a river at the centre of ferocious WWI battles in which more than a million soldiers, including 23,000 Australians, were killed or wounded.

Pitman’s offences also included failing to inform his superiors when a more junior soldier “inadvertently” consumed MDMA.

Pitman also later had sex with the female subordinate, in contravention of army rules.

Pitman was sentenced to a reduction in rank and a dishonourable discharge following his court martial, but the sentence was subject to a mandatory review by a senior judge.

Major Christopher James Pitman leaving a restricted court martial in Canberra in June.

That judge has now reviewed the penalties, and a document published on the Defence Force website confirmed Pitman’s demotion and sacking has been upheld.

Pitman, at the time of his ill-fated posting, told a military magazine that he took a “quiet moment” during rehearsals for Anzac Day Day events to pay his respects to his great-grandfather, Private George Taylor.

Private Taylor enlisted in Castlemaine in 1915, served on the Western Front and was medically discharged in 1916.

“My great grandfather was one of the lucky ones who survived World War I, although I’m not sure he would have felt lucky due to his significant injuries,” Major Pitman said at the time.

“As a serving officer and veteran myself, I know the cost of war, but being physically here and walking these battlefields, I’m in awe of what our ancestors accomplished,” he said at the time.

“This experience has made me reflect on what my great grandfather experienced and the lasting impact of war.”

Major Christopher Pitman’s great-grandfather, Private George Taylor. Picture: Australian War Memorial

Pitman was court martialed before a panel of senior officers rather than a Defence Force Magistrate.

The panel determined his sentence, but unlike a Magistrate, they were not required to give reasons for their decision.

However, according to documents published by the Defence Force, the Magistrate who directed the panel about what they had to consider when punishing Pitman, told them of the importance of “the serious departure from Defence values demonstrated by this officer whilst on a representative duty.”

The Magistrate also told them of the importance of “maintaining discipline in the Defence Force.”

Pitman’s dismissal was effective as of July.

All of the findings of guilt were for “service offences” which only apply to military members.

They do not carry criminal convictions.