From clandestine combatants to frontline soldiers: the long, hidden history of women in war
For centuries, women served in armies through unofficial roles or by disguising themselves as men. While modern militaries only recently opened all combat positions to female soldiers, the reality of women in conflict is a deep, multifaceted story of nursing, intelligence, and frontline bravery that spans global history.
The history of women in the British Army, for instance, began long before formal integration. Until the mid-19th century, women lived alongside regiments, working as nurses, cooks, and laundresses. During the 17th and 18th centuries, individuals like Christian 'Kit' Cavanagh and Hannah Snell famously disguised themselves as men to serve as soldiers and marines. This pattern of clandestine service was mirrored globally; in Russia, women like Natalie Tychmini fought in the First World War under male aliases, while others, such as Maria Bochkareva, eventually led official all-female battalions during the 1917 Russian Revolution.
The professionalisation of nursing during the Crimean War, led by figures like Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, provided a bridge to more formal military involvement. By the First World War, manpower shortages forced militaries to reconsider women's roles. The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was formed in 1917, and by the war's end, over 100,000 women had served in support roles. This momentum continued into the Second World War, where women served in diverse capacities, from radar operators and anti-aircraft gunners to interpreters and intelligence officers.
While Western nations largely restricted women to support and administrative duties during the Second World War, the Soviet Union deployed over 800,000 women, many in frontline combat roles as snipers, pilots, and tank crew members. Nearly 200,000 of these Soviet women were decorated, with 89 receiving the Hero of the Soviet Union award. Simultaneously, other nations saw unique developments, such as the Rani of Jhansi Regiment in India, an all-female unit formed in 1942 to fight for independence. Today, the landscape has shifted significantly, with countries like Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands now conscripting women on the same formal conditions as men.
Source: A timeline of women in the Army | National Army Museum
