Dorothy Lawrence (1896-1964)

Wikipedia

Dorothy Lawrence started writing at a young age, and at the outbreak of the First World War had her heart set on becoming a war correspondent. She was unsuccessful at attaining a license to work at the Front Line, but travelled to France anyway, where she was discovered and sent back to Paris. In Paris, she met two British soldiers who she convinced to disguise her as a male soldier. The men obtained a uniform for her, cut her hair, and taught her drills. Lawrence obtained false papers and set off to the Front Line as a soldier.

Living in the trenches wrecked havoc on Lawrence’s health, and after ten days of service she revealed her true identity and was arrested as a spy. The army was embarrassed that a woman had managed to infiltrate their ranks, and sent her back to England under solemn oath not to tell her story. On return to England, she settled in Islington. She attempted to tell her tale several times, but was held up by legal challenges. When she did eventually publish a book, it was heavily censored by the War Office and was not a success.

Lawrence was absolutely commited to her goal of being a war corrsepondent, and defied all odds to have the opportunity. She is remembered as the only female British soldier on the Front Line in World War One.