World War One: a military doctor is dressing the wound of a Russian woman soldier in a trench. Watercolour by F. Matania, 1917.

Caption to published reproduction : For the honour of Russia-the women who stepped into the breach

1917

1 painting : watercolour and gouache in grisaille ; image 32.8 x 26 cm

F. Matania Accompanying text to reproduction in The sphere, loc. cit.: "While the men of Russia failed her in the hour of great opportunity her women saw themselves guardians of her honour and forced soldiers to defend it. They did not play at war In pretty uniforms behind the lines, these women of Russia, but they went into the trenches and there in the blood and sweat and crime of battle they fought the advancing Germans. Some were taken prisoners, but each woman soldier carries a ration of cyanide of potassium, so well have women taken the measure of German chivalry; others were wounded and some were killed. It is one of the strangest and most wonderful stories of history, this tale of women-crusaders, who are going out day by day to fight and die for holy Russia in her darkest hour of need. Drawn by F. Matania, Sepember 1917. Copyrighted in the USA."

Wellcome Collection 572905i

Reproduced: The sphere, 5 September 1917, front cover