The Real Places Behind Band of Brothers: Easy Company in the UK and France
The story of Easy Company, part of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, has become one of the most well-known accounts of World War II thanks to the acclaimed miniseries Band of Brothers. Produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and based on the book by Stephen E. Ambrose, the series follows the men of Easy Company from their training in the United States and England through their harrowing experiences in Normandy, the Netherlands, Bastogne, and into Germany.
While the dramatised series brought their courage and sacrifice to a worldwide audience, the real locations where these events unfolded still exist—and many are surprisingly unchanged. From the quiet English village where they trained to the hedgerows of Normandy where they first saw combat, these places offer a tangible connection to both the historical events and the series that portrayed them.
This article focuses on Easy Company’s time in the UK and Normandy, highlighting key moments, real-life locations, and how those places appear today. Whether you're a fan of Band of Brothers, a student of military history, or planning a visit to WWII sites, this guide brings together detailed history with modern-day images to help you walk in the footsteps of the men of Easy Company.
June 4, 1944, Upottery, England
After months of training in Aldbourne, Easy Company was moved to Upottery Airfield in Devon—one of the many temporary airstrips built to support the airborne invasion of Normandy. On June 4, 1944, the men stood ready beside their C-47 transport planes, fully geared for the jump into France. The opening scenes of Band of Brothers capture this moment, with the aircraft in the background as Lt. Thomas Meehan climbs onto the bonnet of a jeep to address the company:
“There is no jump tonight. The invasion has been postponed. We’re on a 24-hour stand down.”
Upottery (also known as Smeatharpe) was home to the 439th Troop Carrier Group, which flew Easy Company and other units of the 506th PIR into Normandy. While this scene was actually shot at North Weald Airfield, much of Upottery airfield still survives today, including parts of the runway and dispersal areas. The site is also home to a museum of the South West Airfields Heritage Trust, which operates within original wartime Nissen huts, preserving the history of the airfield and the men who departed from here.
A memorial at Upottery Airfield, “Dedicated to all units and personnel based here”
Original WW2 Nissen huts which remain on the site of Upottery airfield, which now houses the heritage centre.
September 18, 1943, Aldbourne, England
While the training and barracks scenes were recreated on the custom-built set at Hatfield Aerodrome, the Band of Brothers production chose the village of Hambleden in Buckinghamshire to stand in for Aldbourne. Its timeless appearance and layout made it a convincing substitute on screen.
After Sobel is reprimanded for cutting a farmer's fence, a Jeep carrying 1st Sergeant William Evans is shown driving through Aldbourne to deliver Lieutenant Dick Winters a charge for failing to obey a direct order. Much of Hambleden appears as it did during the filming including the Stag and Huntsman pub and wheelers Butchers.
The real village of Aldbourne has never forgotten its connection to the men of Easy Company who were stationed there in 1943–44. Throughout the village, you'll find plaques and tributes honouring the paratroopers and their role in the war. The Crown Pub, which once served as Easy Company’s Headquarters and Communications Centre, still stands today. A memorial plaque marks its historical significance, and inside, the pub proudly features a bar named in honour of the 101st Airborne Division.
May 31, 1944, Upottery, England
Band of Brothers returns to Upottery, England showing Nixen and Meehan briefing the men with sand tables and maps of the area around Saint Marie du Mont, causeway one and two, and Carentan.
Although not filmed at Upottery, the Upottery heritage centre contains many photos and information boards detailing the construction of the airfield and the actions of the men who departed the airfield on the night of the 5th June 1944 and is well worth a visit.
The Loss of Lt. Meehan – Beuzeville-au-Plain
As Easy Company jumped into Normandy in the early hours of June 6, 1944, tragedy struck before many even reached the ground. First Lieutenant Thomas Meehan, Easy Company’s commanding officer, was aboard a C-47 aircraft from the 439th Troop Carrier Group along with the plane’s crew and several other men from the company.
Shortly after crossing the French coast, the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed near the village of Beuzeville-au-Plain. All aboard were killed instantly.
Today, a memorial stands at the crash site in Beuzeville-au-Plain, honouring Lt. Meehan, the aircrew, and the paratroopers who perished in the crash. It marks a solemn place of reflection for visitors retracing the path of Easy Company.
Read more about Lieutenant Meehan and the crash of Douglas C-47 42-93095.
The Ambush Scene – Crossroads, Not a Bridge
In Band of Brothers, one of the early combat scenes in Normandy shows Easy Company ambushing a German convoy as it passes beneath a railway bridge. While dramatic and effective on screen, the actual event took place under different circumstances.
The real ambush occurred at a crossroads, not under a bridge. It took place at the intersection of the D115 and D423 roads, roughly 3 kilometres east of Sainte-Mère-Église.
Assault on Brécourt Manor
On the morning of June 6, 1944, just hours after landing in Normandy, Easy Company carried out one of the most celebrated small-unit actions of the war: the assault on a German artillery position at Brécourt Manor.
The position consisted of four 105mm howitzers set up in a hedgerow-lined field, firing on Utah Beach and threatening the success of the seaborne landings. Led by Lt. Richard Winters, a small team of paratroopers from Easy Company executed a daring flanking attack, neutralizing the guns one by one under heavy fire.
A memorial to Easy Company now stands along the road near the manor, honouring those who fought and those who were lost during the assault.
While the field itself is not generally open to the public, the memorial is accessible and regularly visited by fans of the series and students of airborne history alike.
D-Day plus 6, Carentan, France
Easy Company reached the outskirts of Carentan in the early hours of June 12, 1944. The town was heavily defended by Fallschirmjäger (German paratroopers) determined to hold the vital road junction and prevent the Americans from linking the Utah and Omaha beachheads.
In Band of Brothers, this is depicted as Easy Company enters under fire, with Lt. Winters ordering the men out of the ditches and forward into the town under intense machine-gun fire.
While the street scenes were filmed on sets at Hatfield Aerodrome, you can visit the real site of the action today—where Route d’Auvers meets Rue de Périers on the northern edge of Carentan.
