Veteran Teddy Bear MIA in Long Beach

A British veteran has been missing in action in Long Beach, California, since Dec. 13. Cpl. Hotspur, as he is known, is a charity teddy bear who has been traveling the world to raise funds for a wounded British servicemen and their families.

Former soldier Gareth Williams had taken the bear to RMS Queen Mary for a photo shoot to raise the profile of the www.holidays4heroes.org charity appeal. But at some point, Cpl. Hotspur either fell, or was lifted, from Williams’ backpack.

“He was in the top of my backpack head and shoulders out and he must of decided it was time to go AWOL,” Williams said.

Six hours searching, including checks with lost-and-found department, failed to re-unite Williams with Cpl. Hotspur and a very embarrassed Williams had to report the loss of the bear to the team back in the UK.

The five remaining “Sgt. Slingsby bears” have recently visited the USA, Canada, South America, South Africa and Europe. One of them, Cpl. Horsa, has just returned from a three-month fundraising tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Anyone who finds Cpl. Hotspur can notify the Bears’ HQ on the Web at www.sgtslingsby.org.