posted on 01 May 2020

The Bear Who Went To War by Alan Pollock, illustrated by Bryony Thomson

The real world sometimes throws up stories that even the most fertile imagination might reject as too unlikely to be true. One such unlikely true tale is that of Wojtek, the Persian brown bear adopted by the Artillery Division of General Anders’ 2nd Polish Army. This magnificent creature carried shells on the battlefield of Monte Cassino, arrived as a refugee in Edinburgh zoo in 1946 and now has a statue to his memory in Princes Street Gardens.

I know all this because this lovely, sensitive retelling of Wojtek’s war heroics tells me so in its final pages. I read this generously proportioned picture book from Old Barn Books with a growing  sense of delight – not just because of the story but also for the wonderful illustration by Bryony Thomson that bring the whole cast of this remarkable drama alive. But it’s Wojtek the bear that is the undoubted star of the whole enterprise and Thomson has given him a personality all his own.

The story of Wojtek’s life is extraordinary by any measure. Found as an abandoned cub and secretly nurtured and cared for by Peter, a soldier in the Polish army, Wojtek grows up amongst the men and starts to live and behave as if he was one of them. He earns the love and respect of all the soldiers and is soon an indispensible part of everything they do.

Even when war breaks out, Wojtek is there with the men on the battlefield helping to carry the shells and plant flags in the land they have captured from the enemy. And what kind of reward can you give an heroic bear? Well, obviously, it’s jam. Jars of raspberry jam.

When the army division is redeployed to Scotland, Wojtek goes with them and he’s welcomed as a sensation wherever her goes:

“They showered the big brown beast with buns and sweets and his favourite – raspberry jam!”

When, one day, Peter the soldier has to leave Wojtek to travel to the city for news about his family, it’s the first time the man and bear have been parted. The bear is confused and sad – moping until Peter returns and the two are reunited. Peter’s family comes to join him in Scotland and Wojtek finds a new home at the zoo where he is visited every day:

“Each day he visited his friend in his little house in the zoo and brought him buns, honey and his favourite…Raspberry jam. ‘Well’ said Peter ‘what are comrades for?’”

 

Get your copy of the stunning book by going to the Old Barn Books website on:

https://www.oldbarnbooks.com/products/the-bear-who-went-to-war

And while you’re there, take a look at all the other great stuff they’ve got – you wont be disappointed.

 

Terry Potter

May 2020