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Līna Čanka (November 5, 1893 — June 9, 1981) was a Latvian soldier in the First World War. In order to join the Imperial Russian army as a female, she pretended to be her deceased brother, Jāņa Čanka. Čanka has been awarded several military distinctions including the Order of Lāčplēsis

Early life
Līna Čanka was born on November 5, 1893 in Renda Parish, Latvia.

World War One
When World War One broke out, residents evacuated Kurzeme. Canka refused to leave her home and instead joined the 3rd Latvian Riflemen Regiment of Kurzeme using documents identifying her as her brother.

Awards
Čanka was only one of three females to ever win the Order of Lāčplēsis, Latvia's highest military honour, for her effort in World War One she is the only female winner to have actively partaken in combat.