WOMEN DECORATED FOR VALOR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12536, 6 May 1915, Page 2

WOMEN DECORATED FOR VALOR.

Seldom in the world's history does one find instances of women being decorated for valor on the battlefield, for the simple reason that opportunities for deed's which would earn them tlie Victoria Cross, are very few. Nevertheless instances can be found, and nowhere more than '-n France, whore the heroic woman has little to complain of as regards public recognition of her services.

I Since Xupolcon founded the Cross of the Legion of Honor, probably a score in- more women have been decorated for personal bravery in> warfare, biit. unfortunately, only one or two of their names have been preserved as the Placs of, the Legion d'Honneur was burnt •down during the Commune, and all the records destroyed. Napoleon himself decorated at least seven women for valor. The chief of these was Anne Bigrt (Sreur Marthe), who was a Sister ( !' Mercy, and earned the Cross of the Legion of Honor for her devotion to the sick and wounded, in the care of [ whom she risked her life constantly. | The ether women on whom Naooleon ! bestowed the Cross were disciples, of I Joan of Arc., who shared the perils and hardships of their menfolk, enlisting ami fighting gallantly. Another woman earned the decoration for valor when France was fighting Germany in i 1870. Mile. Dodu, a postmistress at Pithviers. a village which had fallen into the hands of the invaders, destroyed: a. message which she had been ordered to transmit. For this she was c-ourt-raartia-lled by the Germans and 1 condemned' to death,. On the arrival of Prince Frederick, however, she. was released, the Prince complimenting her on her superb courage. Mme Carlier. who. during the .massacre of the Armenians in 1879, stood, with revolver In hand, beside her husband, and valiantly defended the French Consulate at Siwas. where many refugees had flown for shelter, received the French "V.C." for her heroism, as did Mme. de ■Rosthorn. an Austrian lad v. who took part in the war in Chin a "in 1900. fighting gallantly in. defence of the French Legation, and only retiring when seriously wounded,