Originally from England, Major Colebourn moved to Canada to study veterinary medicine, first in Ontario, then in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
While on his way to action in World War I on a train across Canada, Colebourn came across a hunter who had a female bear cub for sale. He bought the bear, named it "Winnie" after his adopted hometown of Winnipeg, and took it with him to England. Before shipping out to France, Colebourn arranged to keep Winnie at the London Zoo. He eventually donated his bear to the zoo. It was there that writer A.A. Milne encountered Winnie, while visiting with his son Christopher Robin.
Originally from England, Major Colebourn moved to Canada to study veterinary medicine, first in Ontario, then in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
While on his way to action in World War I on a train across Canada, Colebourn came across a hunter who had a female bear cub for sale. He bought the bear, named it "Winnie" after his adopted hometown of Winnipeg, and took it with him to England. Before shipping out to France, Colebourn arranged to keep Winnie at the London Zoo. He eventually donated his bear to the zoo. It was there that writer A.A. Milne encountered Winnie, while visiting with his son Christopher Robin.