The story of Wojtek – the soldier bear who was promoted to Corporal In West Princes Street Gardens stands a statue of a bear, commemorating one of Edinburgh Zoo’s more unusual former residents. […]

In West Princes Street Gardens stands a statue of a bear, commemorating one of Edinburgh Zoo’s more unusual former residents.

Wojtek, who was nicknamed ‘the soldier bear’, had a colourful life with the Polish Army before retiring and living out the rest of his days in Edinburgh.

An orphaned bear cub

In 1942, a group of Polish II Corps soldiers and civilian refugees were evacuated from the Soviet Union, and were making their way to a refugee camp in Tehran, Iran.

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While stopping over in the town of Hamadan, the group came across a young Iranian boy with an orphaned bear cub.

Enamoured with the cub, Lieutenant Anatol Tarnowiecki purchased the bear, and for the next few months it lived in the refugee camp at Tehran.

In August 1942, the bear cub was donated to the Second Transport Company (later the 22nd Artillery Supply Company) and was named Wojtek by the soldiers.

The name roughly translates to ‘joyful warrior’, and Wojtek soon embraced army life.

The army’s mascot

The young cub was fed condensed milk from an old vodka bottle, as well as fruit, marmalade, honey and syrup.

When he became older, Wojtek was given military rations – two portions, as he was so big.

Surrounded by soldiers all day, Wojtek began to pick up some of their habits. Beer became his favourite drink, and he also smoked cigarettes.

Wojtek became a source of entertainment for both soldiers and civilians as the unit moved through Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Egypt.

The bear – who loved to wrestle with the soldiers and would salute when greeted – became an unofficial mascot of the Polish Army.

Private Wojtek

When the Polish II Corps were recruited to fight alongside the British Army during the Italian Campaign in 1943, the 22nd Company had to leave Egypt and sail to Italy.

Rather than leave Wojtek behind, the soldiers thought up a rather novel way to allow the bear onto the British ship to Italy.

Wojtek was officially drafted into the Polish Army, and became a Private with his own paybook, rank and serial number.

Private Wojtek lived with the other soldiers in tents, and helped out around the camp.

It was reported that Wojtek helped during the Battle of Monte Cassino by carrying crates of ammunition to the soldiers.

By the end of the war, he had been promoted to the status of Corporal.

Retiring to Edinburgh

After the Second World War ended, the 22nd Company (including Private Wojtek) were transferred to Berwickshire, where they were stationed at Winfield Airfield near Hutton in the Scottish Borders.

The soldier bear was a hit with locals, and the Scottish-Polish Association even made him an honorary member.

When the unit demobilised in 1947, Wojtek was given to Edinburgh Zoo as a gift from the Polish Army.

Thanks to regular appearances in newspapers and on television, Wojtek was one of the zoo’s most famous residents.

He even appeared on Blue Peter several times.

Wojtek happily lived out the rest of his days at Edinburgh Zoo, before his death in 1963 at the age of 21.

The soldier bear has remained a much-loved figure in Edinburgh, and a statue commemorating the unusual animal was unveiled in Princes Street Gardens in 2015.

Designed by sculptor Alan Beattie Herriot, the statue shows Private Wojtek walking alongside a fellow Polish Army soldier.