The Soldier They Left Behind
Episode 33: The Soldier They Left Behind — Voytek, the Bear Who Marched With an Army
The Soldier They Left Behind brings listeners into the Second World War, where a Syrian brown bear cub becomes part of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps. Adopted by Polish soldiers after being found in Iran in 1942, Voytek traveled with the unit through the Middle East and Italy, becoming more than a mascot: he was given a name, a rank, a serial number, and a place among the men.
Before his wartime service made him famous, Voytek was an orphaned cub whose mother had been killed by hunters. When military rules barred pets from traveling with the Polish forces to Italy, the soldiers formally enlisted him so he could remain with the company. He was listed as a private, carried a paybook, and later rose to the rank of corporal.
His most enduring moment came during the Battle of Monte Cassino in May 1944. As the 22nd Artillery Supply Company moved ammunition to frontline positions, Voytek was reported to have carried crates of artillery shells between trucks and troops. His image—a bear standing upright with a shell in its paws—became the company’s insignia.
After the war, Voytek was demobilized with the unit and spent his final years at Edinburgh Zoo, where former Polish soldiers visited him until his death in 1963.
This is not only the story of a bear in wartime. It is the story of Voytek: an animal who became a comrade, a symbol of Polish resilience, and a reminder that loyalty can take forms history does not always expect. The Soldier They Left Behind asks us to look beyond the battlefield record—and toward the bonds formed in displacement, danger, and the long road home
Voytek with a Polish soldier, c. 1942–1944. A Syrian brown bear adopted by soldiers of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company, 2nd Polish Corps, Voytek traveled with the unit through the Middle East and Italy during the Second World War. To allow him to remain with the company, he was formally enlisted in the Polish Army, receiving a service book, serial number, and rank.