Private Wojtek

'Private Wojtek - Soldier Bear' is based on the true story of a real Persian brown bear cub 'sold' mainly for food and some money by a starving young Persian boy to Polish soldiers stationed in the Middle East during World War II.

This is the inspiring and charming true story of one of the Second World War's most unusual combatants - a 500-pound cigarettesmoking, beer-drinking brown bear. Originally adopted as a mascot by the Polish Army in Iran, Wojtek soon took on a more practical role, carrying heavy mortar rounds for the troops and going on to play his part as a fully enlisted 'soldier' with his own rank and number during the Italian campaign. After the war, Wojtek, along with some of his Polish compatriots from II Corps, came to Berwickshire, where he became a significant member of the local community before subsequently moving to Edinburgh Zoo. Wojtek's retirement was far from quiet: a potent symbol of freedom and solidarity for Poles around the world, he attracted a huge amount of media interest that shows no sign of abating almost 50 years after his death.

During World War II, when a group of Polish soldiers found an orphaned bear cub, they eagerly took him in as their pet and named him Wojtek. As the young bear grew, he became friends with the soldiers, lifting their spirits as he learned to imitate them around camp. Later, Wojtek was helpful in combat by carrying many heavy shells during the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy. Learn how Wojtek showed his courage in battle and earned the rank of Corporal during history's biggest war.

When Private Wotjek joined the Allied fight during World War II, his comrades could not imagine the impact his presence would have in the war. However, soon after his arrival, they realized what a valuable asset Wotjek would prove to be. There was only one small problem: Wotjek was a bear. "Once A Hero" is a historical novel of a Syrian brown bear cub that was orphaned and later, through serendipity, landed in the hands of Polish soldiers escaping the Soviet gulags. The tale is not only endearing, but also based on true events. The bear in the story is today honored and celebrated in several countries for his heroic actions during World War II. The story profiles the bear from birth to adulthood. The journey of a band of Polish soldiers is interwoven in the plot as they travel from their homes in war torn Europe, escape from the Siberian gulags, and travel through the Middle East into Africa. Eventually the paths of the bear and the soldiers cross, and the ten-pound cub is adopted as the troops' mascot. "Once A Hero" is rich in historically and culturally accurate detail. The characters are well-developed and endearing. Vignettes of colorful escapades are written in a delightfully humorous tone keeping the reader entertained thought out.

An amazing story of a furry World War II hero that will entertain and engage readers of all ages. When a tiny orphaned bear cub is adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II, little does anyone know that little Wojtek will become one of the bravest fighters of them all! As the soldiers train to take part in some of the fiercest fighting of the war, Wojtek grows up, providing headaches and laughter in equal measure as he learns to drink beer, chase horses, and wrestle with his human friends. But at Monte Cassino, as the Allies try and dislodge German troops from their mountaintop eyrie, Wojtek, now a fully signed-up solider with his own rank and number, comes into his own, dodging the bullets to carry ammunition to his comrades as they inch their way to victory. After the war, the Polish solders move to Scotland. Wojtek comes too and soon becomes the center of attention in a new country. But with hostilities ended, how long can he keep his freedom? Bestselling author Jenny Robertson explores the themes of friendship and trust in this moving and inspirational story.

"Every story in the book is interesting, and Lewis includes a 'bonus fact' at the end of each story, which is a mini mind bender on its own." --BoingBoing "A mind-tickling encyclopedia...Now I Know is a treat in its entirety...an oasis of learning about what you don't yet know...but are glad you found." --Brain Pickings Dan Lewis, creator of the Webby Award–winning Now I Know newsletter, is back with 101 unbelievable-but-true stories to blow your mind. Get ready to find out the real deal behind a new collection of fascinating facts. From pink camouflaged fighter planes to secret Harry Potter characters, Now I Know More covers everything from history and science to sports and pop culture. You'll learn about made-up towns that made their way onto real maps, the time three MLB teams squared off in a single game, and ninety-nine more curious cases of remarkable trivia. And it's all true. With this book, you really will know more!

View more details of this book at www.walkerbooks.com.au

Following the conquest of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939, hundreds of thousands of Polish families were torn from their homes and sent eastwards to the arctic wastes of Siberia. Prisoners of war, refugees, those regarded as 'social criminals' by Stalin's regime, and those rounded up by sheer chance were all sent 'to see the Great White Bear'. However, with Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa just two years later, Russia and the Allied powers found themselves on the same side once more. Turning to those that it had previously deemed 'undesirable', Russia sought to raise a Polish army from the men, women and children that it had imprisoned within its labour camps. In this remarkable work, renowned historian Professor Norman Davies draws from years of meticulous research to recount the compelling story of this unit, the Polish II Corps or 'Anders Army', and their exceptional journey from the Gulag of Siberia through Iran, the Middle East and North Africa to the battlefields of Italy to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Allied forces. Complete with previously unpublished photographs and first-hand accounts from the men and women who lived through it, this is a unique visual and written record of one of the most fascinating episodes of World War II.