Show ONLY 50 OF RUSSIAN WOMEN FIGHTERS LEFT LONDON July 28 Women Women are fighting women on the battle batUe front frontIn In the east This news comes from Petrograd In dispatches watch state that when Vera command of of death entered its Us first action last Wednesday It found that German women were fighting side by by- side with men in Inthe the hostile trench trenches s. s A number of these amazons were cap captured Of the original Russian women women wom worn wom en in the command of only 50 are left The commander Vera and her chiet aide Marya 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 moat picturesque orthe orthe or orthe the war and th the heroism and success success suc suc- cess of the Russian women fighters Is accepted In Petrograd as proof that women are as valuable on the battle line as men Indeed the heavy losses of ot the little contingent contingent contingent contin contin- gent was due to the treachery of male soldiers who deserted from the supporting trenches leaVI the women to face the Germans alone The Russian women's battalion underwent the greatest hardships not only In n the actual fighting but buton buton buton on their way to the front accordIng according accord- accord Ing ng to stories told by wounded girls who have been heen brought back from the fighting lines to be placed In hospitals Their heroism under fire was wonderful Their dash and their fierceness under fire make a new chapter of the war The girls were sent to the front after atter they had determined from Premier they be allowed al- al low lowed lowd d to tIght fight in long trains of str stripped coaches Wooden bunks had been placed along the walls walis The Journey was long and tire tire- 1 som some Word of the wom women n soldiers coming had preceded them and they were greeted by Jeering ana ano I hooting crowds at every station along the route The girls had their answers ready eady to the cries of the station crowds What do you think youre you're going to do The jeers would go Why are you fighting Back would come the tha answer hot with scorn Because you men are afraid to fight All Russians are are- not cowards 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 It was plain that the men had n no nl idea the women really expected to fight they believed them to be merely camp followers and their cries showed as much It was only after a handful of male soldiers had been driven from the women's quarters at at- atthe the bayonet point that they changed their view The girls drilled every day rain rainor or shine and bathed in a river near the camp While half halt of the battalion bathed the others had to maintain a strict guard to keep the male soldiers away Then came weary days of wait wait- ing The commanders would not let the girls go to o the front It was only after great Influence had been used that the order sending sanding them to the trenches was given They gre greeted ted the order with cheers and in their first action ad advanced advanced advanced ad- ad singing songs of home Their voices reached the German Gennan trenches and the sound of women singing so surprised the defenders that they were beaten back be before before be- be fore tore they could regain their com corn As a result a number of prisoners were taken of the command of ot de dearth came from every branch and class of society University students girls girl from some of ot t the e most noted families of Russia professional professional professional pro pro- women working women and peasants al all were included Inthe in inthe inthe the membership All we wanted was to help save the fatherland said a a wounded girl Women have as much place at the front as men It Is our country country country coun coun- try too |