In Iran in 1943, a group of Polish soldiers found and adopted an orphaned brown bear cub whose mother had been shot and killed by hunters. They gave him the name Wojtek, meaning “joyful warrior.” When Wojtek was first rescued, he had swallowing problems; the soldiers fed him with condensed milk and gradually marmalade, honey, syrup, and fruit. The soldiers would reward him with beer which quickly became his favourite. He also enjoyed stealing and eating cigarettes. Wotjek was taught to salute when he was greeted and his main hobby was wrestling with the soldiers and swimming.
Due to Wojtek being an animal, he was not allowed into theatres of operation, much to the dismay of the soldiers who raised him. They knew that they couldn’t give up on him - he had quickly became their boost to morale and their unofficial mascot. In a true testament to the quote “leave no man behind,” they enlisted him into the 22nd Artillery Transport Company of the 2nd Corps, and even gave him the rank of private meaning he had his own.
Wojtek lived with the other soldiers in their own tent and most notably, accompanied them in the Balle of Monte Cassino where he carried crates of ammunition. Following WWII, Wojtek , along with the rest of the 2nd Corps, were transported to Berwickshire, Scotland where, due to his popularity, Wojtek was awarded as an honorary member of the Polish-Scottish Association. After demobilisation, Wotjek was sent to Edinburgh Zoo where he died at the age of 21, weighing 500 pounds, and standing over 6 feet. After his death, numerous memorials commemorating this extraordinary and loyal bear were erected worldwide.
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