The Scottish memorials to a 'soldier bear' from World War II that 'retired' to Edinburgh Zoo
17.03.2023 - 14:01
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A small town in the Scottish Borders is home to one of two statues in the country commemorating a Syrian brown bear who served in World War II.
It may sound like something out of a movie, but Wojtek was very much a real animal in the Polish Land Forces. In fact, he was even promoted to the rank of corporal for his services.
Wojtek — also spelled Voytek — started life in the care of a young Iranian boy after its mother was killed by hunters. In 1942, at a railroad station in Iran, the bear came into the care of Polish soldiers, with Lieutenant Anatol Tarnowieckikept deciding to keep and raise the animal.
While at first, Wojtek was not healthy and needed to be fed condensed milk from a bottle, over time he became not just a mascot but a full-on member of the unit. The bear would often play-wrestle with troops, and would even be given beer to drink and cigarettes.
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When the unit was sent to Italy in 1943 to assist Allied troops, Wojtek joined them. At this point, he was officially enlisted and given the rank of Private.
On the front line, Wojtek was a valuable asset and carried ammunition and empty boxes. His odd human-like behaviour led to the animal becoming something of an icon, and an image of him carrying an artillery shell was adopted as the company’s insignia.
Fortunately, Wojtek survived the war and was able to enjoy retirement in none other than Edinburgh Zoo. During his years spent at the zoo, the bear would receive regular visits from his Polish friends, and it was said that his mood would always improve when he heard their voices.
Wojtek died in 1963 at the age of 21, weighing almost 500kg at the time of his death — a far cry from the