The Devil's Brigade Details

Canadian airborne brigade

I have seen this film before, but wanted to see it again. To start off with it's worth knowing that this film is based on true events. In some ways it's similar to the Dirty Dozen. It centres around the forming of the Special Service Force, or Parachute Regiment formation. It consists of experienced Canadian infantry who had fought at Dunkirk and members of the American Army who were trouble makers and jail birds, who couldn't cope with even being soldiers. They are joined together to form a joint Canadian/American airborne special forces unit. In the beginning they are against each other, The Americans take the Mickey out of the well trained Canadian troops and play tricks on the Canadian's, who have been told to be on their best behaviour. In the end their hardship of training forms strong friendships and camaraderie. They can perform missions that other larger conventional units couldn't do, using their stealth and aggression they capture a German held mountain artillery position, that has given the allies weeks of trouble. This film really shows what makes the difference between Paratroopers and the ordinary infantry units. In the end the Canadian and Americans are united together as airborne brothers in arms who proudly wear the maroon beret.

Well worth watching.