The talk answers all the questions of why young women dressed as men to fight as soldiers in the 17th to 20th centuries? There were hundreds of known women cross-dressers in Britain, Europe and the Americas, yet they have been erased from both social and military history. I tell some of the fascinating women’s stories featured in my book: of how they were fearless, ‘tomboys’, early feminists and decidedly full of what was called ‘pluck and spunk’. For them ‘patriotism had no sex’, determined to fight for their country. What did society think of them? Why was cross-dressing illegal and punishable by death? Were some lesbian or transsexual- as we debate gender today? What happened to them after they were discovered, their sex revealed while dying on the battlefield or wounded? Answers to these questions and how, unafraid to kill, their bravery was rewarded by the army and royalty. Medals, money and fame came. The print media were fascinated by them, their stories published to great success and songs and ballads composed about their exploits. They became the ‘reality stars’ of their day. Their legacy? Some are hailed as the first female soldiers. As Hilary Mantel says’ their story is our story’, to be included in re-telling past events and teaching about them to inspire and inform new generations of women.