“Shadia Abu Ghazali was the first Palestinian female martyr killed while defending her city of Nablus after its capture by Israeli forces during the 1967 Six-Day War.”
Source: http://madlovaforlife.tumblr.com/post/33961317777/shadia-abu-ghazali-the-first-palestinian-female
Tomoe Gozen (or ‘Lady Tomoe’) was a samurai warrior in 12th century Japan who was famed for her ability with both the sword and the bow. She was also a master horsewoman, said to be able to ride an unbroken horse with skill.
Tomoe served in the Genpei War (1180-1185) as the First Captain of her daimyo (and possibly her husband), Minamoto no Yoshinaka. The Tale of the Heike describes her as a beautiful woman with charming features, who went to battle in heavy armour and wielding an oversized sword.
Following their defeat of the Heike, she led Yoshinaka’s forces in the taking of Tokyo in his attempt to claim leadership of the Minamoto clan. This action led to civil war within the clan against Yoshinaka’s cousins, culminating in the Battle of Awazu in 1184. During this battle Tomoe is recorded as beheading members of the enemy army, however Yoshinaka was killed and the army defeated.
Her ultimate fate is unknown. Some accounts say she fought to the death on the battlefield, others that she escaped on horseback carrying an enemy head and disappeared.
Roza Shanina was a Soviet sniper during World War II credited with 59 confirmed kills. Renowned for her marksmanship skills, Shanina was known for her ability to score precise hits on moving targets and for making doublets (two target hits by two rounds fired in quick succession).
Described by Allied newspapers as ‘the unseen terror of East Prussia’, Shanina became the first female sniper to be awarded the Order of Glory medal. She was also decorated with the Medal for Courage.
One war correspondent described her as a person of unusual will with a genuine, bright nature. She was said to be a straightforward and talkative woman, who valued courage and humility in others.
On 16 January 1945 she wrote in her combat diary: “What I’ve actually done? No more than I have to as a Soviet man, having stood up to defend the motherland.”
Shanina was killed in action during the East Prussian Offensive of 1945 while shielding the severely wounded commander of an artillery unit.