3 women who DISGUISED themselves as men during the war (PICS + PHOTOS)

1. Nadezhda Durova

From childhood, Durova gravitated toward boyish games: "The saddle was my first cradle; a horse, a gun and regimental music – my first toys and amusements!"

She was unable to find happiness in family life. And, in 1806, three years after the birth of her son, she cut off her hair, acquired a military uniform and went to war with the Fourth Anti-French Coalition.

Under the name Alexander Alexandrov, she joined the cavalry – she superbly rode horseback and wielded a saber. And, after saving the life of a wounded officer, she was awarded the ‘Cross of St. George’ and promoted to officer.

When Durova was finally exposed and about to be sent home, she appealed to Emperor Alexander I himself, asking to remain in the army. And the monarch surprisingly granted the courageous young woman's request.

The "cavalry maiden" bravely fought the enemy in the Patriotic War of 1812 and even served as an orderly to Commander-in-Chief Mikhail Kutuzov. She rose to the rank of staff captain and retired in 1816, devoting herself final days to writing her memoirs.

2. Kira Bashkirova

At the beginning of World War I, 16-year-old Kira was studying at the Vilno (now Vilnius) Women's Higher School, but, for some reason, decided to defect to the front.

She cut off her hair, sold some of her belongings and, with the proceeds, bought a soldier's uniform. She then stole her cousin Nikolai Popov's student ID card and went to the infantry regiment in Lodz.

The ruse succeeded – she was enlisted in the unit. She fought bravely and was awarded the ‘Cross of St. George Cross’, 4th degree. The truth was, however, revealed when Kira ended up in hospital.

She was sent home, but the restless girl managed to escape and went to serve in another unit. When her secret was discovered there, too, Bashkirova, under her real name, asked the command to allow her to stay. To her delight, her request was granted.

She later also distinguished herself during World War II: she served as a nurse in a military hospital in Murmansk and was awarded the medals ‘For Military Merit’ and ‘For the Defense of the Soviet Arctic’.

3. Evdokia Zavaliy

Evdokia Zavaliy was serving as a nurse at the beginning of World War II, until representatives of the Marine Corps arrived at her regiment's quarters. They were recruiting volunteers and took notice of her.

The short-haired girl in her military uniform was practically indistinguishable from the men. Her name in her documents was abbreviated as ‘Evdok’, but was read as Evdokim. Zavaliy didn't try to convince anyone otherwise and went to the North Caucasus to fight in the marines.

"I managed to hold out for about a year. No one suspected anything," Evdokia recalled. "They immediately recognized me as 'one of them' and, after I captured a German officer near Mozdok, they sent me to a reconnaissance unit and I soon became its commander."

In one battle, she was wounded and the truth about "Comrade Evdokim" was revealed. However, not only was she not sent away, she was even sent to junior lieutenant training – she had already earned respect among the soldiers.

Upon her return, Zavaliy was given command of a platoon of machine gunners. The woman was so courageous and resilient that 50 burly men obeyed her without question.

‘Frau Black Death’, as the Nazis nicknamed her, participated in the liberation of Crimea, her native Odessa region, Yugoslavia and Hungary. She was awarded four orders and a dozen medals.

Because of four wounds and two concussions, she eventually abandoned her military career and was demobilized in 1947. "For a long time after the war, I continued to attack at night. I screamed so loudly that the neighbors were frightened," Evdokia jokingly recalled.