Female Colonels

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 87, 12 January 1893, Page 4

Female Colonels

Five women, alLdatnes of high degree, have been appointed to tho command of crack regiments in the Prussian army by the preseut young; warrior Emperor. This is, like most of his acts, au entirely new departure, but whether it is a shrewd device or simply one of his peculiar freaks it is well calculated io achieve his dearest ambition, the exaltation and popularising of tbe army above everything else. Previous to his accession there were only two women Colonels in the Prussian army, and none had been appointed for nearly a score of years. The senior j woman Colonel is the Empress Frederick, who was placed in command of a regiment j of hussars at the coronation of Emperor William 1., October 18th, 1861. Princess Frederick Charles, widow of the famous •• Red Prince," ranks second in point of time. She received her Colonelcy in 1871. Queen Victoria was made Colonel of a Prussian regiment of dragoons in 1889. The two first named have often ridden at the head of their regiments, dressed in their full regimentals, and one of the Empress Frederick's most dashing pictures shows her thue attired and afield.