Band of Brothers: The Actors Tour
About the tour: Band of Brothers: The Actors Tour
Tour Introduction
Join us on this unique tour as we visit the WW2 battlefields in the company of Matthew Leitch, Tim Matthews and Peter McCabe – three actors who featured in the award-winning TV drama, Band of Brothers. Our tour is based around two key episodes from the series – Bastogne and Breaking Point – and we'll visit the Ardennes Battlefields near where Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, fought in the winter of 1944/45 during the Battle of the Bulge. Immortalised in the television series, we follow in the footsteps of Easy Company with the opportunity to also talk to the actors about the making of the series and their part in the story.
Band of Brothers: The Actors
The actors will be with you throughout the tour to share their experience of acting and working in the Band of Brothers TV series. They will tell you more about the incredible stories of the men they portrayed and discuss how the series was made.
Matthew Leitch: Floyd M. (Tab) Talbert
Matthew Leitch is both an actor and producer, and has an extensive list of credits. Known for his portrayal of Floyd M. (Tab) Talbert in the award-winning mini-series, Band of Brothers, he also starred in the 2006 action film The Detonator.
Tim Matthews: Alex M. Penkala Jr.
With an exciting career on stage, television and in film, Tim Matthews may be best known for his portrayal of American soldiers in two productions – Alex M. Penkala Jr. in the critically acclaimed, Band of Brothers, and Lt. Schenck in the 2001 war drama, The Lost Battalion.
Peter McCabe: Donald B. Hoobler
Peter McCabe is an English actor best known for his role as Cpl. Donald Hoobler in the Band of Brothers mini-series. He also featured in the 2004 film, George and the Dragon, and the 1998 TV series, Playing the Field.
We are very excited to be part of the new Band of Brothers: The Actors Tour with Leger Battlefield Tours. Bringing the story of Easy Company to life through the Band of Brothers TV series was fantastic, and we look forward to sharing that experience with fans, veterans and WW2 enthusiasts whilst also visiting the sites where history unfolded.
– Matthew LeitchTour Includes
- 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- 3 evening meals
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone 01709 385 624, you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
Local departure by coach, then to Belgium for a four-night stay.
Day 2 - Bastogne & Bois Jacques
The fascinating sites we visit on this day feature in episodes 5, 6 and 7.
We begin with Easy Company’s arrival at Bastogne in December 1944, and follow them up to the defensive perimeter which was then being established around the town.
We visit Mande Saint Etienne and then Noville, one location where the Germans tried to break through. In the Bois Jacques, we see where the front-lines were established, and where the remains of foxholes and positions used by the Airborne are still visible. To get an idea of what happened on some of the patrols, we walk the woodland following in their footsteps, and also see the 101st Airborne Memorial.
After lunch in Bastogne, we have an included visit to the superb 101st Airborne Museum in the town, seeing many original items connected to the story of the defence of Bastogne.
Later, we look at where the battlefield casualties were brought to, examine the Christmas bombing of Bastogne and role of the nurses – the angels of Bastogne, and see the graves of Renee Lemaire who was killed in the bombing, and her colleague Augusta Chiwy.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
101st Airborne Museum (4)
Key Visits
- Bastogne Sherman Tank
- Bois Jacques
- 101st Airborne Museum
Day 3 - Foy & Bois Jacques Experience
See the real story of episodes 6 and 7 with today’s selection of key visits.
We start today in the area of Chateau d’Arlon where the Germans approached to offer the surrender of the US Airborne who were by then surrounded.
From here, we will head towards Bastogne barracks where the surrender request was taken, this resulting in the famous response of ‘Nuts’.
We then return to the Bois Jacques area, where we follow in the footsteps of Easy Company in the attack on Foy in January 1945, seeing where Speirs made his famous charge and where Shifty Powers fired at the German sniper. This will involve a short battlefield walk.
After lunch, we visit the Bastogne War Museum with its new ‘Bois Jacques Experience,’ and then end the day at the church in Bizroy, used as a shelter by the men of the 101st.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bastogne War Museum (2)
Key Visits
- Foy
- Bastogne War Museum
Day 4 - Recogne & Luxembourg American Cemetery
Aspects of today’s visits, including the Noville attack, are covered in episode 7.
This morning, we look at the battlefield around Recogne, seeing the German Cemetery, site of the original American cemetery, and battlefield locations in the nearby woods, which will mean a small amount of walking. We then examine the Noville attack and visit the Rachamps Convent.
After lunch, we travel over to Luxembourg and visit the moving Luxembourg American Cemetery to see the graves of Easy Company casualties who fell in the Ardennes, as well as the grave of General George Patton.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Luxembourg American Cemetery (3)
Key Visits
- Recogne German War Cemetery
- Luxembourg American Cemetery
Day 5
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
