Memorial

Wojtek The Bear - Imperial War Museum Plaque

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Current Location

Catalaogue Reference IWM ART LD 6502, Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, Southwark, Southwark, Greater London, SE1 6HZ, England

TQ 31388 79146

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Type of Memorial: Board / Plaque / Tablet
WMR Reference Number: 78065
Description: A Brown Bear standing on its hind legs holding a large artillery shell.: Wojtek, a Syrian brown bear, was the mascot of the 22nd Polish Artillery Support Company (22 Kompania Zaopartrywania Artylerii) of the Second Polish Corps. Found in Persian mountains in 1942, he travelled with the unit throughout the Middle East and Italy. He is reported to have helped move artillery ammunition at Monte Cassino, as depicted in the plaque. After the war he was kept at Edinburgh Zoo and was made a life member of the Scottish Polish Society. Wojtek died in 1963.
Inscription: WOJTEK

Plaque

Height: 368mm

Width: 184mm

Depth: 44mm

Made from: Ceramic

Condition: Good

Book-Wojtek Album : a collection of Wojtek photographs and anecdotes (Catalogue Item LBY 16/2960 at Imperial War Museum)
Book-Wojtek Soldier Bear (Catalogue Item LBY K. 00 / 1839 at Imperial War Museum)
There is another version of this plaque at the Imperial war Museum - Catalogue Reference EPH 7838
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/17221