Ecaterina Teodoroiu
(Romanian pronunciation: [ekateˈrina
te.odoˈroju];
born Cătălina Toderoiu; January 15,
1894 - September 3, 1917) was a Romanian
woman who fought and died in World War I, and is regarded as a heroine of
Romania.
She was born in the
village of Vădeni
(nowadays part of Târgu Jiu), in the historical region of Oltenia, in the family of Elena and Vasile Toderoiu, both
farmers. Cătălina had five brothers
(Nicolae, Eftimie, Andrei, Ion, Vasile) and two sisters (Elisabeta and Sabina).
After studying for 4 years in Vădeni and
Târgu Jiu (at the Romanian-German Primary School) and graduating from the Girls' School in
Bucharest, she was to become a teacher when the Romanian Kingdom entered World
War I on the Allied side, in 1916.
A Scouts' member,
she had initially worked as a nurse but she subsequently decided to become a
front-line soldier, being deeply impressed by the patriotism of the wounded and
the death of her brother Nicolae, Sergeant in the Romanian Army. It was an
unusual decision for a woman of that epoch, so she was sent to the front rather
reluctantly. However, with the support of the Romanian royal family, soon she
proved her worthiness as a symbol and as a soldier.
Working as a nurse,
on October 14 Ecaterina joined the civilians and the reserve soldiers fighting
to repulse the attack of a Bavarian company of the 9th German Army at the
bridge over the Jiu River, in front of Târgu-Jiu. Impressed by her bravery, the
Royal Family invited Ecaterina to Bucharest on October 23.
On October 30, she
went to the frontline to see her brother Nicolae, Sergeant in the 18 Infantry
Regiment (Gorj), who was shortly killed afterwards, on November 1, by a shell
during fighting near Porceni.
Wishing to avenge
his brother's death, Ecaterina requested Colonel Obogeanu to be allowed to join
the 18 Infantry Regiment as a volunteer. She would soon prove her military
skills by using a ruse in order to avoid that her company, surrounded by the
enemy, be taken prisoner.
Nevertheless, she
was later captured during fighting on the Răşina-Peşteana-Tunşi heights on the night of November 3/4,
1916, but managed to escape with light wounds by killing with a concealed
revolver the German soldier who
was guarding her. On November 6, Ecaterina
was involved in the skirmishes close to Bărbătești and Țânțăreni. Soon later, during fighting near Filiași she was wounded in both
legs by a shell, evacuated to Craiova, then to Bucharest and later hospitalized at the "King
Ferdinand" Military Hospital in Iași.
On January 23,
1917, she was released from the hospital and, previously having met Second
Lieutenant Gheorghe Mănoiu
(the brother of a former school colleague) in hospital, she requested to be allowed to join his 43/59 Infantry
Regiment as a voluntary nurse.
For her bravery,
she was awarded the "Scout Virtue" Medal and the Military Virtue
Medal, 2nd Class, on March 10, 1917. On March 17, 1917, she was awarded the
Military Virtue Medal, 1st Class, made honorary Second Lieutenant (Sublocotenent)
by King Ferdinand and given the command of a 25-man platoon in the 7th Company
(43/59 Infantry Regiment, 11th Division), commanded by Second Lieutenant
Gheorghe Mănoiu.
Starting with April
25 (O.S.), the regiment was quartered in Codăești,
Vaslui County. On August 4 (O.S.), the 43/59 Regiment, part of the reserve of
the 1st Army led by General Eremia Grigorescu, prepared to join the upcoming
offensive. On August 5 the regiment left Vaslui for Tecuci, crossed the Siret and camped in the Malta Seacă forest, close to the
frontline.
On August 17, the
commander of the 11th Division, General Ernest Broșteanu, kindly asked her to
stay at the mobile hospital behind the front, but Second Lieutenant Teodoroiu strongly refused him,
requesting to be allowed to join her platoon in the upcoming battle.
On August 20, the
43/59 Regiment dug in on the Secului Hill, in the Muncelu-Varnița area.
On September 3,
1917 (August 22 Old Style), the Romanian lines were attacked in force by the
German 40th Reserve Regiment of the 115th Infantry Division. While leading her
platoon in a counterattack, she was hit by machine gun fire in the chest
(according to some accounts), or in the head (according to other
accounts). According to the General
Order No. 1 issued the next day by Colonel Constantin Pomponiu, the commanding
officer of the 43/59 Regiment, her last words before dying were: "Forward,
men, don't give up, I'm still with you!"
Attributes:
Agility
d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills:
Fighting
d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Battle) d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Riding
d4, Shooting d6
Charisma:
+2;
Pace:
6;
Parry:
5;
Sanity:
9; Toughness:
5
Hindrances:
Deathwish
(Die for Romania), Doubting Thomas, Stubborn
Edges:
Attractive, Command, Command Presence, Rank
(Officer)
Gear:
Uniform,
canteen, steel helmet (+1), Ruby pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6-1) with 36
rounds, gas mask.
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