Soldier Bear Gets His Due

The news that Scotland is moving forward with plans to erect a monument celebrating “the extraordinary life of ‘Private Wojtek’, a 6ft tall, 500lb brown bear who served alongside Polish soldiers — and lived out his years after the war in Edinburgh Zoo” is all I need to share this clip. If you haven’t heard the Wojtek story, it’s pretty incredible (“He is best remembered however for his role in the brutal battle of Monte Cassino in 1944, where he voluntarily helped his comrades unload boxes of artillery shells for the Allied guns under fire.”), and if you have five minutes you will probably enjoy the video.