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Page 5 of 12

• 1. Women's role
• 2. Excluded
• 3. Adventure seeking
• 4. Gallant 'she-soldiers'
• 5. Participants in battle
• 6. More participants
• 7. Female doctors
• 8. World War One
• 9. Medical staff
• 10. World wars
• 11. Front line
• 12. Recognition
• Print entire article

Participants in battle

By the end of that same century, Ensign Robert Cornelius, who fought for William III at the battle of Namur in 1695 (the British Army’s first battle honour), had been unmasked as a woman by field surgeons treating her wounds.

In fact, there have probably always been female soldiers serving in disguise in the British Army, and they continued to do so. One of Marlborough’s lady warriors is commemorated on her grave-stone in the shadow of St Nicholas’ Church, Brighton:

In Memory of Phoebe Hessel/ Who was born at Stepney in the year 1713./ She served for many years/ As a private Soldier in the 5th Regiment of foot/ In different parts of Europe,/ And in the year 1745 fought under the command/ Of the Duke of Cumberland,/ At the Battle of Fontenoy,/ Where she received a Bayonet Wound in her Arm./ Her long life, which commenced in the time of Queen Anne,/ Extended to the reign of George IV,/ By whose munificence she received comfort/ And support in her latter Years./ She died at Brighton, where she long resided,/ December 12th, 1821, Aged 108 years.

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Published: 2005-03-01