▁of ▁women ▁seeking ▁to ▁serve ▁their ▁nation ▁at ▁the ▁front . ▁In ▁June , ▁Ker ens ky ▁approved ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁an ▁additional ▁women ' s ▁combat ▁unit ▁in ▁Pet ro grad , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Pet ro grad ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion , ▁with ▁a ▁complement ▁of ▁between ▁ 1 , 1 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 , 4 0 0 ▁women ▁and ▁two ▁communic ations ▁det ach ments ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁women ▁volunte ers ▁each . ▁ ▁Their ▁training ▁reg imen ▁included ▁not ▁only ▁para de ▁dr ill , ▁rif l ery , ▁and ▁night ▁man eu vers , ▁but ▁also ▁reading ▁classes ▁for ▁the ▁ill iter ate . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁the ▁Palace ▁Square ▁for ▁a ▁review ▁before ▁being ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁front . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁para de , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁instead ▁ordered ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁Pro vis ional ▁Government ▁at ▁the ▁Winter ▁Palace . ▁ ▁The ▁commander ▁refused . ▁Instead ▁a ▁sub div ision ▁of ▁ 2 nd ▁company , ▁ 1 3 7 ▁soldiers , ▁were ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁guard ▁some ▁nearby ▁fuel ▁tr uck s , ▁but ▁soon ▁found ▁themselves ▁def ending ▁the ▁palace ▁alongside ▁units ▁of ▁C oss acks ▁and ▁cad ets . ▁These ▁were ▁over wh el med ▁by ▁the ▁numer ically ▁superior ▁pro - B ols he vik ▁forces ▁and ▁ultimately ▁surrender ed . ▁Rum ors ▁of ▁mass ▁ra pe ▁circul ated ▁in