Discover the remarkable true story behind the world's most famous teddy bear and how a Canadian soldier's pet changed children's literature forever.
Few children's characters have captured hearts worldwide like Winnie the Pooh. The honey-loving bear from the Hundred Acre Wood has delighted generations since A.A. Milne's stories were first published in 1926. But behind this fictional bear lies an extraordinary true story that begins not in the idyllic English countryside, but on a Canadian railway platform during World War I.
The real Winnie the Pooh story starts with a young man named Harry Colebourn, a 27-year-old veterinary officer with the Canadian Army. Born in Birmingham, England, Colebourn had emigrated to Canada at 18 to study veterinary surgery. His love for animals would unknowingly set the stage for creating one of literature's most enduring characters.
On August 24, 1914, as World War I was just beginning, Lieutenant Colebourn's train made a brief stop in White River, Ontario. Stepping onto the platform for fresh air, he encountered an unusual sight: a black bear cub at the end of a trapper's leash.
The trapper explained he had killed the cub's mother but couldn't bring himself to harm the orphaned bear. For Colebourn, it was love at first sight. The veterinarian purchased the cuddly cub for $20 and named her "Winnipeg" after his hometown—soon shortened to "Winnie."
During military training at Valcartier, Quebec, Winnie became much more than a pet. The gentle bear quickly became the regiment's beloved mascot. Colebourn trained her with rewards of apples and a mixture of condensed milk and corn syrup. At night, Winnie slept under his cot, and during the day, she followed him like a puppy, climbing tent poles and posing for photographs with soldiers.
When Colebourn received orders to the Western Front in France in December 1914, he made the difficult decision to leave Winnie at the London Zoo. Though he initially planned to reclaim her after the war, he ultimately recognized that Winnie had become a cherished fixture for London's children.
At the London Zoo, Winnie became legendary for her exceptional temperament. Zookeeper Ernest Sceales described her as "quite the tamest and best behaved bear we have ever had at the zoo." Unlike other bears, children were allowed to enter her enclosure, ride on her back, and feed her directly from their hands—a testament to her remarkable gentleness.
Among the many children enchanted by Winnie was a young boy named Christopher Robin Milne, son of author A.A. Milne. Christopher Robin visited the bear regularly, feeding her spoonfuls of condensed milk and sharing warm, furry hugs.
Christopher Robin's affection for the zoo's resident bear prompted him to rename his own teddy bear. Once called "Edward," the stuffed bear became "Winnie the Pooh"—combining the black bear's name with "Pooh," a name he had given to a swan he fed in the morning.
A.A. Milne, a prolific playwright and contributor to Punch magazine, found inspiration in his son's collection of stuffed animals. Christopher Robin's nursery contained not just Winnie the Pooh, but also the toys that would become Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger.
Milne, who had served in World War I, created the Hundred Acre Wood as a peaceful sanctuary—a stark contrast to the horrors of the Western Front that remained fresh in the minds of many readers in the 1920s.
Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in A.A. Milne's 1924 poetry collection, "When We Were Very Young." Two years later, the full volume of stories, "Winnie-the-Pooh," was published to immediate acclaim. The sequel, "The House at Pooh Corner," followed in 1928, cementing Pooh's place in literary history.
When the real Winnie passed away in 1934 at age 20, her death made headlines worldwide. So significant was her impact that her skull was preserved at the Royal College of Surgeons, where it was eventually displayed as a historical artifact.
Today, statues at both the London Zoo and Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park Zoocommemorate the extraordinary bond between a Canadian soldier and a black bear cub—a relationship that sparked a literary phenomenon that continues to enchant children around the world nearly a century later.
What began as a chance encounter during wartime has evolved into one of the most successful and beloved children's franchises of all time. Winnie the Pooh has been translated into dozens of languages, adapted into numerous films and television series, and merchandised into thousands of products.
The appeal of Pooh and his friends lies in their simple wisdom, loyal friendships, and gentle adventures—qualities that reflect the remarkable temperament of the real bear who started it all.
Fans of Winnie the Pooh can explore this remarkable history through several significant locations:
The story of Winnie the Pooh bridges two seemingly separate worlds: the harsh reality of World War I and the innocent wonder of childhood. That a bear cub, rescued during one of history's darkest chapters, would inspire stories that continue to spread joy and wisdom nearly a century later is perhaps the most magical part of this extraordinary tale.
From Lieutenant Harry Colebourn's compassionate purchase on a train platform to A.A. Milne's literary genius, the journey of Winnie the Pooh reminds us that even in difficult times, moments of kindness can create legacies that endure for generations.
Want to learn more about Winnie the Pooh? Explore our comprehensive guides toWinnie the Pooh characters,A.A. Milne's life and works, andthe history of Winnie the Pooh illustrations.