Landships II

Centurion · Legend

women at war

Centurion · Legend

Sorry fluffed the attachment

-- Edited by Centurion at 18:04, 2005-12-22

eugene · Field Marshal

actually
the more famous russian air pilot was
nadeshda desterva, while o nreconecense she got into a fight with a austrian plane, in that dogfight she was wounded in the arm, but the asutrian plane stopped the chase!
she recieved 4th class st.george, and promoted to sergeant

eugene · Field Marshal

as for princess Eugenie Mikhailova Shakhovskaya, she was czarist when it was convenient, and after the revolution, seeing that the bolshevicks will win, she decided to work for the bolshevicks and later in the CHEKA, she was of noble birth though, and a cocane addict, and she eventually accidentally shot someone, leading to her arrest

Centurion · Legend

And yet more!

The Russians seem to have started a tradition of women pilots another Princess turned combatant was Princess Sophie A. Dolgorukaya who was a pilot and observer with the 26th Corps Air Squadron. A further (non royal) example was Nadeshda Degtereva who was posted to the Galician Front, where she flew reconnaissance missions.

In France H�l�ne Dutrieu a test pilot had already been awarded the Leigon d'Honnere for services to aviation before the outbreak of war. In 1914 she volunteered for war service with something called France's Air Patrol and was accepted. She made flights from Paris to check on the location and movement of German troops. I've also heard that there was a female bomber pilot who served with the French forces later in the war and flew operational night bombing missions.

How about an FT17 woman driver?

J Fullerton · Captain

Dolgorukaya is an interesting surname. I wonder if her family claimed descent from the twelfth century Grand Prince Yuri "Dolgoruki" (long-armed)?

Centurion · Legend

Russia seems to have quite a tradition of women soldiers. There was actually an all female battalion in 1917 with the official title of the Women's Battalion of Death. This does not seem at first sight to be the optimum name to attact recruits. Nevertheless at full strength it had 2,000 members. The unit was formed in May 1917 during the period between the Russian Revolution and the Bolshevik coup. The battalion was founded and commanded by Maria Bochkareva (1889-1920). Maria was a peasant woman from Siberia who today would be described as a victim of domestic violence having left two husbands who beat her. In 1914 she was working on a steamship and on the outbreakmof war petitioned the Tsar for permission to enlist as a combat soldier. This was granted and she joined the 25th Reserve Battalion of the Russian Army. Despite a difficult start she was twice wounded and decorated three times for bravery. The Women's Death Battalion fought on the Austrian front but after three months their numbers had fallen to about 250. This remnants last action on October 25th 1917 was the unsuccessful defence of the Winter Palace against Bolshevik troops. Many of the women were killed and some raped, an aspect of the Bolshevik revolution that Soviet historyhas overlooked. Bochkareva was taken prisoner and interrogated but managed to escape and flee to America.

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-- Edited by Centurion at 13:33, 2005-12-23

-- Edited by Centurion at 13:34, 2005-12-23

28juni14 · Hero

Excellent, Centurion! This is one of the most frequent subjects in my library "talks". I can add only a couple of things; Firstly, the volunteers were primarily middle class girls. They were, for the most part attractive (as the Book would say, "pleasant to look upon") ; so efforts were made to neutralize their femininity by shaving their heads , etc. Their purpose was to instill courage (shame?) in the men supposedly serving beside them in the trenches. In the one assault they did make successfully, they occupied the first line of a German trench for some hours but were withdrawn before the inevitable counter-attack because their flanks were exposed( no pun intended) as companion male units refused to leave their shelters.

The Winter Palace stand is particularly heart-breaking. It has been reasoned they held out as long as they did, not because of government loyalty, but rather for fear of their fate. Those fears were entirely justified as Centurion alluded; wholesale rape followed their laying down of arms.

One more thing, poor Maria could not find happiness in America, her heart was still in Holy Mother Russia. After a number of years in exile, despite pleas from friends, she boarded ship and returned to her homeland; where, she was summarily executed.

Centurion · Legend

If anyone is interested look at these pages:

http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/Women_Warriors/Women_Warriors_01.htm

Lot of stuff about Russian women soldiers including a woman who was colonel of a cossack regiment (and they weren't exactly equal opportunity enthusiasts). There is a photo, reminds me of a primnary teacher I had years ago, of her and I wouldn't like to get on her wrong side.Many other photos (including the Battalion of Death).

Als0 a bit about the Serbian army