Wanda Gertz Major Wanda Gertz ( 13 April 1896 – 10 November 1958 ) was a Polish soldier who served in the Polish Legion during World War I while masquerading as a man , under the name " Kazimierz ' Kazik ' Zuchowicz " . She subsequently served in the " Ochotnicza Legia Kobiet " ( " Women ' s Voluntary Legion " ) of the Polish Army during the Polish – Soviet War , and was an officer of the " Armia Krajowa " ( " Home Army " ) , codenamed " Lena " , during World War II . Early life and background . She was born Wanda Gertz von Schliess in Warsaw , the daughter of Jana and Florentyny Gertz von Schliess . Her family originated in Saxony , but had settled in Poland during the eighteenth century during the rule of the House of Wettin . Gertz ' s father had taken part in the January Uprising in 1863 - 64 , and Gertz grew up hearing the stories of her father and his friends . Years later she wrote : " As a five - year - old girl I had never had any dolls , only innumerable toy soldiers , which my older brother , his friends and I played with . Even then , I knew that high rank was not for girls . My fondest dream was to become an officer . However , as a girl I could only be a private . " In 1913 , Gertz graduated from the " Gimnazjum Kuzienkowej " in Warsaw . While still at school Gertz had joined the then illegal Girl Guides , belonging to the 4th Troop " Emilia Plater " . After the beginning of World War I in 1914 , she joined the " Konfederacji Polskiej " , an independent morale - raising organization . Gertz delivered propaganda leaflets and made clothes for prisoners of war . She then joined the 4th Warsaw Battalion , but in August 1915 when the Battalion joined the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legion , women were prohibited from serving in the front lines . World War I . Soon after Gertz cut off her hair , and dressed in men ' s clothing presented herself at a recruitment office of the Polish Legion as " Kazimierz Zuchowicz " . All went well until the medical inspection . However , a sympathetic doctor promised to help , and she was assigned to serve as a medical orderly . After a few weeks " Kazik " was reassigned to an artillery unit , serving there for six months , and seeing action during the Brusilov Offensive . She also learned to ride a horse , and served in a signals platoon . After returning to Warsaw in 1917 following the Oath crisis Gertz joined the women ' s branch of the clandestine " Polska Organizacja Wojskowa " ( " Polish Military Organisation " ) . On 8 December 1917 during a demonstration in " Plac Zbawiciela " , Gertz was arrested and sentenced to six months in prison . Once released she worked as a courier , and was involved in disarming German troops in November 1918 . In December 1918 Poland finally gained its independence , and Gertz joined the People ' s Militia , and was assigned to the Armaments Section in March 1919 . Polish – Soviet War . In April 1919 , soon after the outbreak of the Polish – Soviet War , Gertz enlisted in the Polish Army and was assigned to the 1st Lithuanian – Belarusian Division . In September 1919 , she was appointed commander of the " II . Ochotnicza Legia Kobiet " ( " 2nd Women ' s Volunteer Legion " ) in Vilnius . The Women ' s Legions played a secondary role , usually engaged only in guard duties , but during the fighting for Vilnius , the 2nd Legion did see action at the front , helping to fight off the attacks of Gai Khan ' s Cavalry Corps . Gertz was subsequently awarded the " Virtuti Militari " . At the end of the war in 1921 , Gertz was demobilized . She worked for " Koncernie Maszynowym S . A . " from 1923 , and after the May Coup of 1926 , in the office of Józef Pilsudski , the General Inspector of the Armed Forces . After Pilsudski ' s death in 1935 , she co - founded the Museum of Belweder , and remained there until September 1939 . Her free time was devoted to other military activities . In 1928 Gertz became one of the first 13 members of the " Przysposobienie Wojskowe Kobiet " ( " Women ' s Military Training " ) and served as an instructor , and in 1938 was treasurer of the " Federation of Polish Associations of Defenders of the Fatherland " . World War II . Soon after the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 , Gertz was one of the first women to join the resistance movement " Służba Zwycięstwu Polski " ( SZP , " Service for Poland ' s Victory " ) , operating under the code name " Lena " . She worked to organize clandestine communications , acted as a courier , and was the assistant to division commander Stanislawa Kozarskiego . In April 1942 Gertz was ordered to create and command a new unit " Dywersja i Sabotaz Kobiet " ( " Women ' s Diversion and Sabotage " ) , as part of the Kedyw . Members of DISK carried out attacks on German military personnel , airfields , trains and bridges . Gertz seems to have been sceptical about the planned Warsaw Uprising , and prohibited members of her group from taking part , though many did anyway . Captured after the Uprising , Gertz was held as a prisoner - of - war by the Germans . She passed through the camps at Ozarów , Lamsdorf and Mühlberg , and finally in late 1944 arrived at Molsdorf . On 5 April 1945 the POWs of Molsdorf were marched to nearby Blankenhain , before finally being liberated on the 13th by troops of the U . S . 89th Infantry Division . Post - war life . Gertz was sent to England , returning to Europe after the German surrender to serve as Inspector for Women Home Army Soldiers . She travelled throughout Germany and Italy in search of displaced Polish women . From May 1946 until February 1949 she was part of the Polish Resettlement Corps , serving as Inspector of Women Soldiers in the north of England . Her job was to prepare them for civilian life in Britain . Gertz herself then worked in a canteen until her death from cancer on 10 November 1958 . Her funeral was attended by many veterans , including Aleksandra Piłsudska , and Generals Michał Karaszewicz - Tokarzewski and Tadeusz Bór - Komorowski . In 1960 her ashes were taken to Poland and interred at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw .