She Went to War Disguised as Her Brother

In 1912, when the Serbian army called up her brother, who was sick with tuberculosis, Milunka Savić cut her hair and went to war in his place. Women were not allowed to fight, so she had to hide it from everyone, and any wound could give her away. She fought through the Balkan Wars and was made a corporal, until she was wounded at the Battle of Bregalnica in 1913 and the doctors found out. Her commander offered her a job as a nurse. She refused and was sent back to the front. Wounded nine times in all, she captured 23 Bulgarian soldiers on her own at the Crna Bend in 1916, and she was awarded the Order of Karađorđe's Star with Swords, Serbia's highest award for bravery, twice. Sources: "Milunka Savić", English Wikipedia; Mental Floss, "Milunka Savić, the Most-Decorated Female Combatant in History"; The Female Soldier, "Milunka Savić"; Sabaton History, "Milunka Savić". #history #ww1 #serbia #balkanwars #shorts