WTF Moments in History Wojtek the Bear Hero of WW2

During the dark days of World War II, unlikely heroes emerged from all walks of life to answer the call of duty. But among these heroes, none would be more surprising than Wojtek, the decorated warrior bear of the 22nd Polish Artillery Company. This video was sponsored by MagellanTV. They're an awesome documentary streaming service run by filmmakers, with a selection of over 2,000 videos to choose from from the categories of history, science, nature, space, and more. When it comes to history documentaries, MagellanTV has the richest and most varied content anywhere. Ancient, modern, current, war, biography, and even related genres like science and crime, which are historical in nature. If you like our content, I can highly recommend you check out the documentary on The Real Inglourious Bastards, which brings to life the true World War II stories behind the Hollywood film. MagellanTV is compatible with Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Play, and iOS, which means you can watch it anytime, anywhere on your television, laptop, or mobile device. Sign up today to get a one-month free membership trial by visiting the link in the description below or by going to MagellanTV.com slash Invicta. The tale of Wojtek begins in the spring of 1942, as the Polish army was being evacuated out of the Soviet Union. They were headed south through Iran, on their way to join the British Middle East command, and were accompanied along the way by many civilians fleeing their war-torn homes. As the caravan made its way to a railroad station at Hamadan in Iran, the soldiers encountered a young boy consoling a bear cub. Apparently, the baby animal had been recently orphaned, and the pair made a pitiful sight. Irena, great-niece of one of the Polish generals, was so struck by the scene that she demanded the bear be rescued. As a result, it was brought back to a nearby refugee camp that had been established around Tehran. Here, Irena would nurse the cub back to health over the next three months. The odd guest attracted a lot of attention, and one particular group of soldiers from the 22nd Artillery Supply Company grew quite close to it. Initially, the bear had trouble swallowing, and so an old vodka bottle was used to feed it condensed milk. In addition, the soldiers took it upon themselves to donate many more of their rations to the recovery efforts. The bear was thus fed on a steady diet of fruit, honey, marmalade, and of course, alcohol. The cub was so fond of his new friends, and in particular, the beer, that the troops named him Wojtek, meaning happy warrior. As Wojtek grew, so too did his appetite, and he would eat virtually anything put in front of him. Apparently, he even had his own mug that was routinely filled with beer and wine. When it was empty, he would become quite the actor, and stared at it sadly until someone took pity and topped him off. Besides drinking, he also started to take after the other habits of the men. This included smoking. Wojtek would beg for a pack, put one cigarette in his mouth, and wait for a friend to light it. After a puff or two, he would then promptly eat the tasty snack. Other habits included wrestling with the soldiers. This grappling would apparently even continue at night when he would cuddle for warmth with the men in their bunks. One evening, the bear arose from his slumber upon hearing a noise. The camp had been infiltrated by a thief looking to steal some goods. However, as the intruder turned the corner, he came face to face with Wojtek. Surprised, the man screamed and ran for his life, but was quickly apprehended. As a reward for this guard duty, the bear was given a fresh bottle of beer. In the ensuing weeks, word spread as soldiers and civilians alike flocked to see the animal hero. As a result, the new celebrity became the unofficial mascot of his friends in the 22nd Company. When the troops were finally ordered to continue their travels west, Wojtek came along with them. While on the march, he would copy the men, at times marching on his hind legs and saluting officers. On breaks, he would join the troops for drinks and a smoke. For longer trips, Wojtek would be loaded up into the passenger seat of whatever truck had spare room, but as he grew larger and weighed more than 500 pounds, a new plan was required. The solution was to use one of the company's recovery trucks as his own special transport vehicle. The bear spent the long trips through Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt lounging in the back of the vehicle. Often, he would climb up onto the crane to appreciate the surrounding countryside as they rumbled along. Through his travels, he would meet lots of new friends, both human and animal. He is said to have been extremely friendly and inquisitive. On one occasion, this got the best of him when he tried to greet a scorpion. For his efforts, Wojtek received a sting on the nose and became ill. For several days, he remained bedridden under the watchful eye of his friends. Thankfully, they managed to nurse him back to full health, and he was back on his feet within a week. From now on, he would be assigned his very own caregiver. Eventually, the Polish forces managed to reach the sea. Orders came in that they were to board a British transport to join the Italian campaign. However, regulations forbade the presence of pets or mascots aboard. This was no problem for the clever Polish troops. They simply drafted their animal companion into the unit as a private. As such, he was issued a rank and a serial number, and even received pay. This would be used by the company to pay for Wojtek's expensive upkeep. In addition, two soldiers, Henryk and Dmitry, were assigned as permanent caretakers. At night, he would sleep with the other troops in their tents, or would curl up in a special padded wooden crate. Finally, the Polish troops made it to the front lines. Here they supported the British army and participated in the bloody Battle of Monte Cassino, which saw the Allies launch a costly series of assaults against the Axis-held Winter Line. In this engagement, artillery support proved vital in rooting out the enemy from entrenched positions. During the fiercest of the fighting, the men of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company struggled to support the action under intense fire. It is at this point that Wojtek came to the rescue. According to numerous accounts, he began to help his friends by carrying crates of shells into position. Using his great strength, the bear would carry boxes that normally required four men and move them without dropping a single one. Eventually, the Polish troops managed to punch a hole in the enemy line, and the battle was won. For his role in the action, Wojtek was promoted to the rank of corporal. In addition, he was soon approved as the official emblem of the 22nd Company. The troops fought the rest of the Italian campaign and were recognized for their tenacity. Upon the conclusion of the war, most of its units were transported to Britain for demobilization. Once again, Wojtek would follow his fellow soldiers. They were stationed near the Scottish border at the airfield of a small farm. Here, he became quite popular with the local civilians, with reporters from the press soon flocking to see him. In appreciation for the bear's ability to bring the soldiers and their hosts together, Wojtek was made an honorary member of the new Polish-Scottish Association. In November of 1947, the bear found a permanent home in the Edinburgh Zoo, where he was a constant source of attention. Oftentimes, his former comrades would come to visit him, tossing a cigarette down to the bear as a reminder of the good old days. Wojtek would pass the next 16 years in peaceful retirement, though he would continue to uphold his public image and was a frequent guest on BBC's children programming. Sadly though, Wojtek died in December of 1965. Today, his memory lives on in the form of a bronze statue erected in Edinburgh. I hope you've enjoyed this unbelievable tale. The truth is certainly stranger than fiction. For more crazy moments in history, definitely check out the rest of our playlist. A huge thanks is owed to our supporters on Patreon and the many talented researchers, writers, and artists who made this video possible. Please consider contributing to If you found this topic interesting, check out these related videos about our fascinating past. 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