Polish Forces

Polish Hero enjoys a Bear ... sorry ...Beer ...

Private Wojtek, the Polish Soldier Bear, of 22nd Polish Artillery Transport Company, enjoys a beer in Berwickshire, Scotland, prior to his Company's demobilisation (c. 1946). Wojtek (through his comrades) refused repatriation to Communist-ruled Poland in favour of taking up residence at Edinburgh Zoo, where he died, of old age, in 1963. While with the Polish forces, like many soldiers, he developed a liking for beer and cigarettes (he did not usually smoke cigarettes - he liked to eat partly smoked ones). Oh well, even heroes have their bad habits; Napoleon's tobacco snuff habit was probably what killed him ... Best regards, JR.