A BLUE plaque will be unveiled for a Worcester woman, described as 'Britain's most famous female soldier', by a direct descendant.

Hannah Snell, born in Worcester, disguised herself as a man so she could become a soldier, was involved in several battles, survived a flogging and suffered a musket ball injury, carrying out surgery on herself to keep her secret.

Worcester Civic Society will be unveiling a blue plaque at 25 Friar Street, Worcester, where she was born on Monday, May 21 at noon.

The plaque will be unveiled by Amanda Houston, the great, great granddaughter of Hannah Snell, and Anthea Abbeyfield Worcester Crown Ladies Probus Group, sponsors of the plaque.

Hannah Snell was born in Worcester on April 23, 1723, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Snell.

Her parents died when she was 17 and at the age of 20 she married James Summs, a Dutch seaman who mistreated her, abandoning her when she became pregnant.

After their daughter died in infancy, Hannah Snell determined to track her husband down.

Sandra Taylor of Worcester Civic Society said: "Believing that he had been pressed into military service she borrowed a suit of clothes from her brother-in-law, James Gray, assumed his identity and according to her own account, became a soldier in the 6th Regiment of Foot.

"With advent of the Jacobite Rising in 1746, the regiment marched to Carlisle where Hannah continued her military training.

"She was often at the centre of fighting and is reported to have received a number of wounds of varying degrees.

"Incurring the wrath of a sergeant on one occasion, she was sentenced to 600 lashes of the whip, a harsh punishment but after enduring 500 lashes in silence her commanding officer ordered the end of the punishment."

Believing her husband had gone south she deserted and joined Fraser’s Regiment of Marines at Portsmouth, ultimately sailing to the East Indies and India where she took part in several battles.

Mrs Taylor said: "Suffering a musket shot to the groin, she operated on herself to remove the musket ball so her identity as a woman would not be discovered."

She eventually learned that her husband had been executed for murder in Genoa, Italy.

When the ship returned to England she revealed her true identity. Honourably discharged, she was granted a military pension and her exploits became public knowledge.

Selling her story to a London Publisher and appearing on stage to earn an income, she eventually retired to Wapping and opened a public house she named The Female Warrior.

She married twice more, giving birth to two sons by her second husband and marrying again in 1772 after he died. She was buried at Chelsea Hospital among other old soldiers.