Ecaterina Teodoroiu: Capture!

Ecaterina Teodoroiu

"On November 4, 1916, the soldiers from Ecaterina's regiment defending the south side of Targu Jiu were outnumbered and nearly surrounded by the Germans, who requested that they surrender and become prisoners. when the Germans approached, Ecaterina stepped forward out of the lines and explained, in German, that the regiment had decided to surrender. Then she suddenly began shooting, killing several Germans., In the confusion that followed, most of the company was able to escape while Ecaterina and several other soldiers were captured..." 

Ecaterina Teodoroiu joins the Romanian army

"...Ecaterina decided to fight beside her brother Nicolae, who was now a sergeant-instructor. Though not officially part of Nicholae's regiment, Ecaterina was accepted by them all as an unofficial fellow-soldier. One of the regiment officers, Major Liviu Teieseanu, later said that during this time Ecaterina was a "True example fo the soldiers," patiently enduring with them "the brunt of war" and participating in all their actions, even dangerous bayonet charges.

One day, Ecaterina -- just a little ways off from her brother -- heard the whistle of a shell coming closer and closer. It fell near Nicolae and killed him instantly.

Wanting to avenge her brother's death, Ecaterina requested to serve in his place. Romanian women weren't normally allowed to be part of the military, but understanding the sincere and intense motive behind Ecaterina's request, the military leaders agreed."


From "Ecaterina Teodoroiu: Lieutenant Girl" from Women Heroes of World War I. 

Olive King joins the Serbian Army

Olive King in her Serbian army uniform

Australian War Memorial

"Back in Salonika, where the Allied armies were regrouping, the [Scottish Women's Hospitals] staff set up another hospital in the midst of a very wet, muddy winter. Olive was very busy but in a mundane sort of way. She wrote to her father that her real dream was to be "in the thick of things." She was also growing tired of how the matron seemed more interested in rule enforcement than in making the workers feel appreciated. And Olive's new romance with a Serbian officer -- Captain Milan Yovitchitch -- was beginning to clash with the SWH's close supervision of its off-duty employees. So in the summer of 1916 Olive quit the SWH and joined the Serbian army as an ambulance driver attached to medical headquarters. She moved into an apartment with two other female ambulance drivers who had also just left the SWH."

Excerpt from: "Olive King: Adventurous Ambulance Driver" from Women Heroes of World War I.