WW2 Polish troops secret weapon? A smoking and drinking 250lb BEAR [View All]

Introducing Voytek the beer-drinking, cigarette-smoking 'soldier bear' of World War Two
By BETH HALE - More by this author » Last updated at 18:33pm on 25th January 2008


Weighing a formidable 250lb and standing more than 6ft tall his towering, hairy bulk must have been a fearsome sight on the frontline.

Voytek the bear - who relaxed with a cigarette and a bottle of beer - was the secret weapon of the Polish troops during the Second World War.

Known as the "soldier bear" he saw action at Monte Cassino, in Italy, before being billeted - along with about 3,000 other Polish troops - at a camp in the Scottish borders.

And like any other combatant, he is even said to have had an official name, rank and number.

Now a campaign is underway to build a permanent British memorial to the remarkable bear who fought so valiantly for the Allied forces and lived out his final days in Edinburgh Zoo.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=510452&in_page_id=1811