In 1942, a band of Polish soldiers freshly released from prisons and work camps stumbled upon an unlikely mascot when they traded goods for a Syrian brown bear cub. Drawn to his friendly demeanor ...

A statue of Wojtek the bear with a Polish soldier was unveiled in Edinburgh in 2015. Picture: supplied. Gift this article. 7 min read. 12:46PM March 07, 2025. Updated 6:58PM March 27, 2025.

In 1942, a Syrian brown bear was adopted by Polish troops—and ended up marching into battle. This is the remarkable story of Wojtek, the bear who carried ammo and lifted spirits.

Wojtek was adopted by the 2nd Polish Corps in 1943, after his mother was shot by hunters. The Syrian brown bear travelled with them from the Middle East as they were deployed to Italy.

Chris Lloyd visits Wojtek the bear in Duns, a few miles north of the Northumberland border in Scotland In 2016, another statue was erected in Duns, once the county town of Berwickshire.

Few stories in military history are as extraordinary as that of Wojtek, the Syrian brown bear who became an official soldier in the Polish Army during World War II. Skip to main ...

A bear, famed for his love of beer, cigarettes and boxing and who was by the side of Allied troops in World War Two, has been made the subject of a play. Wojtek was adopted by the 2nd Polish Corps ...