#duns

Memorial to Wojtek the Warrior Bear, Duns, Scotland by Baz Richardson Via Flickr: During the Second World War, the Scottish Borders was home to many Polish soldiers who had come here to form new regiments prior to returning to combat. This memorial to Wojtek, a Syrian brown bear which was adopted by the Polish army, can be found in the Market Square at Duns. There is a fascinating story behind it. In the spring of 1942 Polish soldiers who were then in Iran encountered a young boy who had found an orphaned bear cub. The cub was purchased and in due course donated to the 22nd Artillery Supply Company where he subsequently became a Private in the Polish Army. He was named Wojtek (Happy Warrior) by the soldiers. The bear cub was carefully looked after and fed condensed milk, fruit, marmalade, honey and syrup. He was often rewarded with beer, which became his favourite drink. He later also enjoyed smoking (or eating) cigarettes as well as drinking coffee in the mornings. He would sleep with the other soldiers if they were ever cold in the night. He enjoyed wrestling with them and was taught to salute when greeted. He soon became an unofficial mascot to all the units stationed nearby. With the 22nd Company he moved to Iraq, and then through Syria, Palestine and Egypt, before going to Italy to fight alongside the British Eighth Army. Wojtek copied the other soldiers, marching alongside them on his hind legs. The bear grew considerably while on campaign, and by the time of the Battle of Monte Cassino he weighed some 200 pounds. According to numerous accounts, during the Battle of Monte Cassino he helped by carrying 100-pound crates of 25-pound artillery shells, all without dropping a single one. When he saw the other soldiers lifting crates, he copied them. He would stack them onto a truck, or stack the boxes of ammunition onto each other. His role earned him his promotion to the rank of corporal. In recognition of the bear's popularity, the HQ approved a depiction of a bear carrying an artillery shell as the official emblem of the 22nd Company. At the end of the war Wojtek was transported to Berwickshire with the rest of the 22nd Company where he soon became popular among local civilians and the press. The Polish-Scottish Association made him an honorary member. Following demobilization in 1947 Wojtek was given to Edinburgh Zoo where he spent the rest of his life. He was often visited by journalists and former Polish soldiers, some of whom tossed cigarettes for him to eat, as he did during his time in the army. He was also a frequent guest on BBC television's Blue Peter programme for children. Wojtek died in December 1963, at the age of 21. At the time of his death he weighed nearly 35 stone, or 490 pounds, and was over six feet tall. This memorial was given by the town of Żagań in Poland, with which Duns is twinned, and was unveiled in 2016. Source: Wikipedia