Without a doubt, the Allies had help from many people, countries, and even animals during World War Two. However, a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek was one of the most unexpected allies. Serving in the Free Polish Army from 1942 to 1945, Wojtek was known for his power, strength, and almost human-like personality. 

But, his service to the Allied cause goes far beyond his cute and cuddly face. Wojtek actually saw combat in one of the fiercest battles of the Italian campaign. 

Polish Soldiers in Iran rescued Wojtek 

In the spring of 1942, the Allies knew the war would last a long time. Because of this, they needed to raise as many armies as possible. One of the ways the Allies thought to do this was to raise new units from prisoners and refugees who had fled conquered countries. Poland was the perfect candidate for this proposal. 

Because the Soviet Union was a German ally before being invaded by German forces, Soviet authorities had hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians stashed away in gulags. With the new agreement inked in 1941, Soviet authorities granted pardons to any Polish man or woman who joined the new army. Known as Ander’s army, after its commanding officer, the unit shipped out in March 1942 to serve in the British army. 

While en route through Iran, 18-year-old Irena Bokiewicz encountered a brown bear cub at a rail station. She convinced her great uncle, to adopt the bear. The Iranian boy selling it said poachers had killed its mother. Taking pity on the bear, the niece convinced an army Lieutenant to buy the bear and that she would take care of it herself. The officer agreed.

Over the next three months, Wojtek, which is short for happy warrior, grew stronger and bigger. Soon, he was the official mascot of the Second Polish Army Corps.

Wojtek Served in Combat in Italy

Before leaving Iran, General Anders had to figure out how to get Wojtek onto a British transport ship. Army regulations forbid mascots or animals from embarking. General Anders enlisted Wojtek as a private in the army to get around this rule. Wojtek was now a soldier with an actual pay account and identity card. 

With the problem of transporting Wojtek out of the way, the next issue was how to employ him. Polish officers agreed that he could be used to haul heavy artillery shells. So, they put him in the 22^nd Artillery Supply Company. After his new assignment, the Polish Second Army Corps arrived in Italy, enduring almost three years of constant combat. 

The deadliest battle the Poles fought in was the Battle for Monte Cassino. Overlooking a strategic height of the infamous Gothic Line, taking the centuries-old monastery was vital to cracking German defenses in Italy. During the months-long battle, the Poles were engaged in heavy fighting, including the 22^nd Artillery Supply Company.

With casualties high, Polish leadership even threw support units into infantry roles. With a shortage of manpower, the company’s commander started using Wojtek to carry artillery shells to the guns. Wojtek is said to have done such a good job carrying crates of ammunition that he was promoted to corporal! 

Though Wojtek handling shells like a human is disputed, at least one British observer claimed he saw him do it. But, regardless of how true the story is or not, Wojtek was a great morale booster for the unit. Here’s some other habits he was known to do:

• Drink beer and coffee
• Smoke (and eat) cigarettes
• Sleep with other soldiers if they were cold in the night
• Salute when greeted

Wojtek’s Legacy

Wojtek was a morale boost during a time when there wasn’t much to smile about. His happy-go-lucky personality made him a hit with soldiers who had endured so much already. After serving in Italy for three years, he was brought to the UK. he was brought along with his unit, where it was disbanded. However, like many Polish soldiers serving the Commonwealth, Wojtek stayed in the UK. 

Wojtek took up residence at the Edinburgh Zoo, where visitors would even throw cigarettes into his enclosure sometimes. He enjoyed his celebrity status until 1961, when he passed away.

The post Wojtek: The Bear Who Fought in WWII first appeared on History In Memes.

Our scars, both physical and not, show the pain we’ve endured, but alsoo what we’ve survived. And, that is definitely the case for Albina Mali-Hodevar.

Albina Mali-Hodevar has become known for her scars. She was a Yugoslavian resistance fighter who made many sacrifices during her time of service. Unfortunately, not many people know her name or story. 

So, let’s dive into the history behind the woman in the picture, to uncover her truth. Here are four questions about Albina Mali – answered!

1. Who Is The Woman In The Photo?

The girl in the photo is named Albina Mali-Hodevar. She was a resistance fighter in Slovenia in 1941 after Germany invaded Yugoslavia during World War II. While World War II is flooded with endless tragic wartime stories, Albina’s story and service to Yugoslavia has gone unnoticed for a long time.

She was born on September 12, 1925, and was one of eight children. At the age of 16, Albina joined the People’s Liberation Movement, which was a part of the People’s Liberation War of Yugoslavia. She was initially designated to be a nurse, but ended up being involved with action on the battlefield.

2. How Did Albina Mali Get Those Scars?

She was wounded a few times during the war. More specifically, she was wounded twice by the age of 17. After her 18th birthday, she was tragically wounded again by exploding mines. During her time of service (1942-1943), she had sustained multiple injuries, including the injury seen in the photograph, which caused a disfigurement of her face and the loss of her eye.

3. What Was Her Role In The War?

Her efforts of assisting continued long after she was no longer on the battlefield. She had transitioned from soldier to nurse, going above and beyond to assist the wounded. Even though she wanted to be a soldier and actively fighting against invaders rather than a nurse, she did not take her new role and responsibilities lightly. Her dedication to her duties and her patients did not go unnoticed by those around her.

Multiple people who were around Albina during her time of service, recall her work on the battlefield as a nurse:

“The nurse Albina always paid more attention to the wounded than to herself”

“She knew neither fear nor exhaustion while… there were wounded [partisans] to be taken care of.”

4. What Happened To Albina Mali After The War?

Due to her dedication, courage, and bravery during particularly hazardous and dangerous situations, the country of Yugoslavia awarded Albina the Yugoslavian Order of the Partisan Star, 3rd class. She then went on to have a prominent role in the government before passing away on January 24, 2001 at age 76.

Albina gave her life and even her eye for freedom. Even though a lot of people have seen this photo, tragically most people don’t know about the incredibly powerful and brave woman behind this photo. There is still a lot unknown about Albina’s life and not many photos of her beyond this one, but what we do know is that she was incredibly courageous and driven to help free her country from invaders and oppression. Her legacy goes beyond this picture. And this photo is a symbol of what horrors and tragedies war puts the men and women serving through, but also what real-life heroes look like.

Watch this video to learn more about Albina Mali-Hodevar’s story!

The post How This Yugoslavian Resistance Soldier Lost Her Eye first appeared on History In Memes.

We all know that medieval armor was designed to protect knights in battle. But did you know that it was also surprisingly flexible? Thanks to a combination of innovative design and skilled craftsmanship, gothic armor from the 15th century was both strong and flexible, allowing knights to move freely and fight effectively.

Put on Little Dark Age and let’s take a closer look at the design of this flexible gothic armor!

This gothic armor originates from German-speaking areas of Europe during the 15th century. The armor got coined as “gothic” because the armor style was similar to the gothic style of the architecture built. Gothic suits have distinct design features that set it apart from other armor. It has a more symmetrical, slender, and elegant look than other armor during that time period.

Unlike earlier types of armor, which were designed primarily for strength, gothic armor was designed with both strength and flexibility in mind. One of the key features of gothic armor was the use of lames, or narrow metal plates, which were riveted together to form a flexible shell. This allowed for a much greater range of motion than previous types of armor while still providing ample protection.

In addition to lames, gothic armor also featured articulated joints, which further increased its flexibility. Articulated joints are basically hinges that allow different parts of the armor to move independently from one another. This means that a knight wearing gothic armor could swing his arms and legs freely without having to worry about the rest of his armor getting in the way.

The next time you’re watching a medieval movie or TV show and you see a knight clanking around in his heavy armor, remember that it wasn’t always like that! Thanks to the innovative design of 15th century gothic armor, knights were able to move much more freely than ever before. So next time you’re feeling weighed down by your own personal armor (whether that be your job, your relationships, etc.), just remember that it could be worse — you could be wearing full plate mail!

Not only can you still buy this style of armor online, but it is also up for display at museums like THE MET.

Want to read about more unique and innovative battle tools? Click here to read about the inflatable tanks WW2 soldiers used to defeat the Nazis!

The post The Surprising Flexibility of 15th Century Gothic Armor first appeared on History In Memes.