Women in comabt roles /armed forces?

[Treve]

Are there any examples of women being recruited by any army during the Second World War as regular soldiers for combat operations?

[Svetlana Karlin]

In the Soviet Union young, unmarried and childless women were drafted during WWII. This article provides a good summary of women's position in the Soviet military: http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1982/jan-feb/obrien.html

While the majority of female recruits served as medics, rear-area troops or army clerks, women also served with combat units as snipers, machine gunners or tank crew members. There were the famous women combat air regiments, as well. A significant number of women were trained to work behind the lines in the German-occupied territory to carry out reconnaissance and acts of sabotage.

Here is an article on women - Heroes of the Soviet Union with brief descriptions of the military careers of some of them: http://what-when-how.com/women-and-war/soviet-unionrussian-federation-women-heroes-of-the-military-awards/

A collection of photos of women in the Soviet military that includes many well-known war heroines: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mryurigagarin/sets/72157625867418738/

[Art]

In the Soviet Union young, unmarried and childless women were drafted during WWII.

Not to combat units. Tank and aircraft crews, snipers etc. were volunteers. The largest female unit of the USSR was so-called volunteer women rifle brigade raised in 1942 at Moscow, it never saw front-line action and performed guard and security duties in the rear. Some more info:
viewtopic.php?f=79&t=154463

[Kingfish]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Witches

[Art]

BTW there are examples of Soviet women military personnel sentenced to terms in penal (infantry) units. For those reading Russian:
http://forum.patriotcenter.ru/index.php?topic=1801.0
As far as I understand that is the only way how non-volunteers could get combat roles on the front-line.

[Treve]

Thank you for these detailed responses.

I am curious as to why the Soviet Women Rifle unit was not deployed in combat.

In the end does it come down to conservatism?

One more unit should be added.

That is the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army.

They were trained for combat although their precise final use it still vague and in whatever capacity limited.

So far we have the recruitment of women in theory for ground combat by the Soviets and the INA.



National Archives of Singapore

[Art]

I am curious as to why the Soviet Women Rifle unit was not deployed in combat.

No idea. The initial plan as far as I understand was to train and equip the brigade as a combat unit.

[Svetlana Karlin]

BTW there are examples of Soviet women military personnel sentenced to terms in penal (infantry) units. For those reading Russian:
http://forum.patriotcenter.ru/index.php?topic=1801.0
As far as I understand that is the only way how non-volunteers could get combat roles on the front-line.

Art,

This is a very interesting piece of information!

[KACKO]

Czecoslovak Army units in USSR had women in non combat but also combat positions. Medics, snipers but also AA units. AA units crewed by women helped to repel German counterattack in front of town Liptovsky Mikulas in 1945. Marie Ljalkova-Lastovecka served as a sniper since Sokolovo battle in 1943 and then till spring 1944. After that she served as Chief medic of 1st Czechoslovak tank battalion. She was credited with 30 kills. She passed in November 2011.
Check this: http://en.zeny-bojujici.cz/vystava/zeny ... ady-v-sssr

[Treve]

Thanks this is interesting. Soviets, Indians and Czechoslovaks. There is some ambiguity in the sense that I am still not getting the impression that any army actually deployed a regular infantry unit for front line 'hand to hand' combat. Many of the cases seem to be exceptions or that of snipers, pilots, AA roles but never assault deployment en masse.

[KACKO]

Hi Treve,

Probably you can add Polish units in USSR too. Women probably served in similar role as in Czechoslovak units there.
As to your question about hand to hand combat. Only army I can think about is National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia. it depends how you will count them. As army or as partisans. In late 1944 they numbered around 600 000 and growing. I believe in their units women could be more engaged in battles.

[Spontoon]

I've seen pics of the Poles in great Britain with Female aremed POW camp guards, and British AA gun crews composed of women.

[Spontoon]

I've seen pics of the Poles in great Britain with Female aremed POW camp guards, and British AA gun crews composed of women.

[South]

Good morning Treve,

I've got some material here re Chinese women being recruited into Chinese forces during WWII.

Your question does require definitions with examples for words such as "recruited" and "combat operations".

I've got a VCR tape of older black and white film showing Chinese women working next to howitzers and mortars; also participating in what Americans call "combat engineers".

Can't address your later post re formal front line assault infantry type units.


Warm regards,

Bob

[Treve]

Hi Bob, I agree its not a simple matter when it comes to definitions. If generous they can include many groupings but what I was driving at was not auxiliary roles but hardcore front line action. Here I am skeptical; rhetoric and posturing aside I think conventional thinking prevailed and there never was unrestricted mass use of females on the front-line. I can only speak for the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the INA which appears to be a classic case of organizing but little in the way of deployment and actual fighting. Being on or near the frontline is not the same as participating in the actual fighting in a conventional manner nor doing so as a collective group.