Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
WOMEN FIGHT WOMEN
AND DIE LIKE SOLDIERS
Russian "Command Of Death" Does
Battle With Amazons In
Hostile Trenches.
THEIR HERoIsM IS PROVED
OF Vera ButchkareH's Battalion Of
200, Only Fifty Are Left-Others
Are Killed or Wounded-Conduct
Under Fire Remarkable.

July o." OIDGH arc
fighting women on the battle front in
the east. This news comes from Petro-
grad in dispatches. which state that
when Vera B~utchkaref's command Of
death" entered It's first action last We'd
nesday. 1t found that German women
were fighting side by side with men
in the hostile trenches. A number of
these Amazons were captured.
or the original 200 Russian women
In the command of death." only fifty
are left. Tho commander, Vera Butch
karen. and her chief aid, Maria
%Skrydlon. daughter of the former
Minister Of Marine. are both wounded.
Twenty were killed. eight captured and
the rest are wounded.
This battle OF women forms one of
the most picturesque phases Of tho
war. and the heroism and success Of
the Russian women fighters is accepted
In Petrograd as proof that women are
as valuable on the battle line as men.
Indeed, h heavy losses of the little
contingent was luz to the treason Of
male soldiers who deserted from the
supporting trenches. leaving the women
to face the Germans alone.
BATTALION UNDERG0Es
II GREAT HARDsHIPs
The Russian women's battalion I'm
derwent the greatest ;hasdships,a mot
;only in the actual hghtfhg., but on
their way to the front. according to
stories told by wounded girls who
have been brought back from the fight
ing lines to be placed in hospitals.
Their heroism under FIRE was wonder-
full. Their dash and elan and their
fearlessness under fire made a new
chapter Of the war.
The girls were sent to the front az
ter they had demanded from Premier
kerensky that they be allowed to
fight.
In long trains of stripped coaches
wooden hunks had been placed along
the walls. The journey was long and
tiresome. Word of the women SOL
diers' coming had preceded them. and
they were greeted by jeering and
hooting crowds at each station along
the route.
The girls had their ready
to the cries of the station. crowds.
What do o think you're going
to do?' the jeers would go. why
are you fighting?"
Back would come the answer hot
with scorn:
Because you men are afraid to fight.
AZ NoosioHS are not COWafdS."
The women were sent to a camp back
OF the lines on the northern front.
On their arrival there they were
hooted by the male soldiers, who later
tried to force themselves into the
women's camp. 1t was plain that the
men had no idea the women really
expected to fight: they believed them
TO be merely camp followers, and their
cries showed as much. It was onlv
after a band of male soldiers had been
driven from the women's quarters at
the bayonet point that they changed
their view.
DRILL EVERY DAY,
RAIN OR SHINE
The girls drilled every day, rain
or shine. and bathed in a river near
the camp. Then came weary days of
waiting. The commanders would not
allow the girls to go to the front. It
was only after great influence had been
used that the order sending them to
the trenches was given.
They greeted the order with cheers.
in their first action advanced sing
Ing songs OF home. Their voices
reached the German trenches, and the
sound OF women singing so surprised
the defenders that they were beaten
oack before they could regain their
composure. AS a result, a number of
prisoners were taken.
me women OF the command of
death" came from every branch and
class or society. University students,
girls from some OF the most noted
Iamilies OF Russia. professional women
women and peasants all were
included In the membership.
All we wanted was to help save
inc fathsrland." said a wounded girl.
women have as much place at the
'front.' as men. 1t is our country. too"