The Bear That Was Officially Enlisted as a Soldier in World War II

In 1942, Polish soldiers in Iran bought an orphaned bear cub for a few
cans of corned beef. They named him Wojtek (VOY-tek) — and he grew
into a 500-pound brown bear who lived among the troops, drank beer,
ate cigarettes whole, and wrestled soldiers for fun.

When his unit shipped out to fight at the Battle of Monte Cassino in
1944, British regulations forbade pets and mascots on the transport
ship. So the Polish army did the only logical thing — they officially
enlisted the bear. Wojtek was given the rank of Private, a serial
number, and his own pay book.

At Monte Cassino, under live German fire, Wojtek watched the men
carrying heavy ammunition crates. So he stood up — and started
carrying them too. Crates that normally took four men to lift. He
never dropped a single one.

For his service, he was promoted to Corporal. The image of a bear
carrying a shell became the official badge of his entire company.

After the war, he retired to Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland — where for
years, his old comrades would visit and climb into his enclosure to
embrace their friend one last time.

This is Wojtek. The bear who went to war.

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SOURCES
- Imperial War Museum collections — Wojtek (soldier bear)
- Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, London
- Aileen Orr, "Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero" (2012)
- 22nd Artillery Supply Company records, Polish II Corps

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Видео The Bear That Was Officially Enlisted as a Soldier in World War II канала Weirdly Historical