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'Band Of Brothers' Happened In Real-Life And It’s Even More Inspirational Than On TV

'Band Of Brothers' Happened In Real-Life And It’s Even More Inspirational Than On TV

The TV show was one of the best war dramas in history, but the story which inspired the programme is much better...

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

While there are plenty of movies and TV shows that are based on real life situations or stories, few come close to the way Band of Brothers recounted an epic tale of World War Two.

The programme detailed one inspirational group of civilian soldiers, a parachute regiment called 'Easy' Company, who were thrown headfirst into some of the war's most dangerous places.

Credit: HBO/Band of Brothers

The true story of the men who fought in 'Easy' Company is arguably even more impressive than the one told on TV.

Led by Major Richard Winter (played on-screen by Damien Lewis), they were dropped behind enemy lines on several occasions and spent most of their time fighting against huge odds.

The company was made up of civilian soldiers that were trained at Camp Toccoa in the US state of Georgia and they gained their 'wings' after just five successful parachute jumps.

After travelling to England their first mission was on D-Day in Normandy.

Easy Company
Easy Company

Credit: Creative Commons/US Army

Tasked with securing the entrance to Causeway 2 near Utah Beach, they were dropped behind enemy lines before capturing a Nazi artillery position that was raining heavy fire down upon those landing on the shoreline.

With only 12 men against a platoon of 50, they took over the guns and saved many lives.

Their heroics continued, as they were sent to Holland on their next mission and assisted in liberating the country from four years of German occupation. After crossing the Rhine River, they had to fight their way down a stretch of exposed road nicknamed 'Hells Highway' during Operation Market Garden.

They lost nine men in that assignment.

Their next mission was at the Battle of the Bulge - which turned out to be the largest battle in US military history, with 600,000 men present. Hitler knew he was losing the war, so he piled men into the Ardennes Forest in Belgium in the hope of surprising the allies.

Easy Company
Easy Company

Credit: Vberger/Creative Commons

Conditions were awful and many suffered frostbite from the freezing temperatures, however some learned how to cope by digging holes. 'Easy' Company lost 15 men in the woods, but their most harrowing experience was yet to come.

The SS had fled the Kaufering Concentration Camp and taken the inmates on death marches to Dachau - its parent camp - shooting those who fell behind and leaving injured and sick inmates inside as they burnt the camp.

'Easy' Company arrived just after its liberation and they were horrified to see what had happened (this was detailed in the episode Why We Fight).

The regiment was officially deactivated on November 30 1945, which was two months after the end of the war. The true story of their fight against Nazism and oppression is an inspiring one, and is well worthy of remembrance.

Featured Image Credit: HBO/Band Of Brothers

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, HBO, Interesting, World War Two, US Entertainment