It was during the winter of 1944 that the U.S. soldiers of the 101st Airborne Easy Company dug themselves in, in the for them unknown forest of Bastogne in Belgium. You probably saw the episodes that depict this in the serie Band of Brothers.
But did you know that you can still visit these forests and see, even find, traces of Easy Company? Together with some friends, I paid the city of Bastogne a visit. We also made a walk through the surrounding forest to find the relics of the real Band of Brothers. I will tell you all about it in this article.
First things first: what happened with the 101 airborne Easy Company (Band of Brothers) in Bastogne and Foy?
For those who have not seen the (incredibly good) HBO serie Band of Brothers, let me explain what happened.
During the winter of 1944, the city of Bastogne was in the middle of a strategic battle that was decisive for the Second World War. After D-Day and the failed Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, the German army tried to strike back during the Battle of the Bulge that took place in the Ardennes.
The Ardennes lay in the south of Belgium and its characteristics are rocky mountains and pine forests. The winters are very hard in this part of Belgium with heavy snow and temperatures that drop below -10° Celcius.
You find the city of Bastogne in the middle of the Ardennes region. The city was important for both Allied and Nazi forces, because the city is the crossroad for no less than 7 roads that connects you through the whole region. Knowing that tanks and army trucks were the core of this offensive/counter offensive, it is clear why Bastogne was a highly important target for armed forces on both sides.
Bastogne, and the nearby village of Foy, and the forest around these towns, needed to be defended against the incoming German forces. It was the task of the 101 Airborne Easy Company (Band of Brothers) to defend this region, together with other allied companies.
101 Airborne Easy Company (Band of Brothers) in Bastogne & Foy: foxholes
With a shortage of ammunition, suitable winter clothing or strategic plans, the 101 Easy Company dug themselves in. They chose positions on the edge of forest and fields. This way, they could fire at troops crossing from one part of the forests to another and keep an eye on the roads.
The way they dug themselves in is a tactic called ‘foxholes’. You can see on my pictures that you can still find traces of them. Some are original, some are freshly made during official reenactments (with members of the Easy Company during remembrances in Bastogne).
The foxholes are shallow pits where you can lay in, taking cover but also able to easily aim and shoot over the edge. They were spread along the edge of the forest, making it possible to move from one to another. The shallowness of the foxhole also made it possible to take cover of falling trees and branches during artillery fire.
But imagine that you need to spend hours, even days and nights in these foxholes during an icecold and snowy winter. It was a very harsh time which I’m glad these war heroes underwent, and a lot of respect for these situations is in place.
The Band of Brothers Memorial in Bastogne/Foy: made possible by Tom Hanks
When you follow the road between Bastogne and Foy, you will find alongside the road a memorial for the 101 Airborne Easy Company, the Band of Brothers.
This memorial was made posible by Tom Hanks. As you can see on my picture, the monument is very clean, with names and history of the company on the plates. The flowers and cross with poppy flower show that this is an honoured place, for both World War one and World War Two.
Finding relics of the 101 Easy Company (Band of Brothers): Boix Jacques
Some tourist information: it is possible to park here and pay a visit and tribute to the memorial. From here, you can also have a walk in the forest to see some foxholes.
Look on a map to find “Bois de Jacques” (bois means forest in French, the Ardennes are in the French speaking part of Belgium). A tip: look at the edge of the forest and fields. Beside the foxholes and memorial, you also stand on the set of the HBO serie. Parts of Band of Brothers are actually filmed on these locations in the forest and many of the veterans visited Bastogne and its surroundings.
Remembering the Band of Brothers 101 Airborne Easy Company: Bois de Paix
If you are looking for traces of the real Band of Brothers, you should also pay a visit to the “Bois de Paix” (bois meaning forest and paix meaning peace in French). Here, there are several information plates to tell you more about armed conflicts around the world and during all times. There is also a “peace-forest” with some art. You also have the possibility to have a picnic at this location. It is a good and serene place to have a seat and think about war history.
Pay your respect to the Band of Brothers…and the traces and relics like foxholes
I did not put exact locations in this article to avoid mass tourism. Only the true interested people will find the foxholes and I know that these people will seek them to pay respect and not to destroy or litter them. So if you find a foxhole, do not sit in it for a selfie or this kind of stuff. Look around you, imagine the situation and be grateful for not having to fight for your life during the winter because our war heroes made their sacrifices in these locations.
Extra World War 2 location tips
If you are visiting Bastogne, you should also visit the city itself with the impressive Bastogne War Museum. A must see.
If you travel up north (around an hour/hour and a half drive) you find Liege. Close to Liege you find the Fort of Eben-Emael which is the place where German forces took over this fortification by using gliders. This meant the start of the Second World War in Belgium and was also a bold strategy to conquer the stronghold of Belgium. You can read my article about Eben-Emael to know more about this part of Second World War history.
Pictures:
History Rob
Pexels
