Warrior Women

Vera Leigh

Vera Leigh's story is a tale of rags to riches. Born in Leeds and abandoned as a baby, she was adopted by a wealthy American and became one of only 39 women chosen to work with the Special Operations Executive, or S.O.E. This group of resourceful and courageous operatives worked behind enemy lines to subvert and sabotage the Nazi war machine during the Second World War. In this episode, we examine her secretive role as a special agent, her double life in occupied Paris, and her ultimate fate at the hands of the enemy. 

With Dr. Kate Vigurs, historian and author of Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE and Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms and Artillery, Royal Armouries.

Download the transcript of Warrior Women Episode 1 - Vera Leigh (Word, 40KB)

Lakshmi Bai

Legend tells us of the brave queen Lakshmi Bai, leading her troops into battle against the British. A warrior who fled from her burning fortress, soaring through the sky on horseback with her infant son strapped to her back and smoking sword swirling in the air, before disappearing into the night.

She was revered and hated, known as a rebel, a jezebel, a mother, and a warrior - India's greatest heroine has been called many things since the 19th century... but who was she really, and will we ever truly know? This episode attempts to untangle the myth surrounding Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi.

With Harleen Singh, Associate Professor of Literature and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies at Brandeis University and Natasha Bennett, Curator of Asian and African Collections, Royal Armouries.

Download the transcript of Warrior Women Episode 2 - Lakshmi Bai (Word, 38KB)

Hannah Snell

The year is 1750. In a pub in London, James Gray, a soldier in the British Army, rises from his seat and tells his comrades that he has something important to say. Turns out, James is not called James at all and is in fact named Hannah Snell.

Hannah Snell was the first women to join the Royal Marines. Or so her biography would have us believe. This episode explores the truths, half-truths and bare faced lies about this 18th century warrior woman.

With author Matthew Stephens (who wrote 'Hannah Snell, The Secret Life of a Female Marine, 1723 – 1792'), Jonathan Ferguson Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries, and a performance by folk singer and instrumentalist Alice Jones.

Download the transcript of Warrior Women Episode 3 - Hannah Snell (Word, 45KB)

Lyudmila Pavlichenko

In 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of the Soviet Union. The following year, Lyudmila Pavlichenko volunteered for service as a sniper in the defence of her country. Today, Lyudmila is the most celebrated female sniper in history. At the height of the Second World War however, she experienced pushback from a society still entrenched in traditional gender roles.

This episode explores her extraordinary story, focussing on her time in service; the challenges she faced as a woman in a world of male military elites, her training, weapons, tactics, success, and resulting fame and recognition.

With Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms and Artillery, Royal Armouries, excerpts read by Chloe Rycroft, Education Manager, Royal Armouries.

Download the transcript of Warrior Women Episode 4 - Lyudmila Pavlichenko (Word, 42KB)

Nakano Takeko

In 1868, the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan had been in power for over two centuries, but their power was beginning to falter. In the midst of the Boshin War for the future of Japan, a 21 year-old woman, Nakano Takeko, leads a group of other women into battle against almost impossible odds. Today, Nakano Takeko is commemorated during the annual Aizu Autumn festival - a yearly celebration of the famous warriors who came from the region. In this episode, we look at the the background for the Boshin War, the weapon Nakano wielded, and how other women defied the will of the Emperor.

With Claire Mead, feminist, swordswoman, and historian.

Download the transcript of Warrior Women Episode 5 - Nakano Takeko (Word, 38KB)