R.I.P D-Day piper Bill.

[colonel c]

the Guardian said:

Second world war bagpipe-player Bill Millin, whose music boosted morale during the D-Day Normandy landings, has died.

The Scot played his comrades ashore at Sword Beach amid heavy gunfire, armed with nothing but the traditional dirk dagger he kept in his stocking.

The much feted veteran, whose actions were immortalised in the film The Longest Day, lived in a nursing home in Dawlish, Devon, before he died in Torbay hospital aged 88.

He was serving with 1st Commando Brigade when he landed at the beach in Normandy on 6 June 1944.

At the request of his commanding officer, Lord Lovat, he played on despite the great danger surrounding him.

Ken Sturdy, chairman of the Torbay and South Devon branch of the Normandy Veterans Association, paid tribute to the piper.

"He was what we would nowadays call a celebrity," he said. "But he wouldn't like that as he was very modest.

"He used to joke that when the enemy heard him coming they panicked at the sound of the pipes. He was friendly and warm and had a quiet sense of humour."

Sturdy, a 90-year-old veteran who served with the Royal Navy, described hearing Millin's bagpipes when he landed on the beach that day.

"Among all the noise and bedlam going on I could hear bagpipes. I thought I had imagined them and it wasn't until later that I realised I really had heard them.

"Bill marched boldly with his pipes in a situation that was quite unbelievable. It was in the heat of battle, there was a lot of gunfire and he was unarmed except for his pipes and his dirk.

"It was certainly heroic. People were dying around him and he was in the most alarming situation so he must have been a very cool young fellow."

Bill Millin at his home in Devon five years ago. The Scot played his comrades ashore at Sword Beach amid heavy gunfire. Photograph: Barry Batchelor/PA

[Dave_ST220]

RIP.

[Frederick]

The few are fewer RIP

[groucho]

Do you think they didn't target him on purpose? Seems a miracle otherwise.

[SeeFive]

What a brave and inspirational man. Let's hope he had a great life after his service.

RIP.

[cptsideways]

How to freak the enemy out & boost the morale of your own troops in one go


RIP

[escort90]

groucho said:

Do you think they didn't target him on purpose? Seems a miracle otherwise.

Apparently they caught a couple German snipers and when asked why they never shot him the snipers shrugged their shoulders and said "Dumkopff" which means 'madman'.

RIP

[ellroy]

One of the last, a salute to you Sir.

Many thanks.

[anonymous-user]

RIP indeed, nutter or legend? It does show we are one nation when tested

[Wing Commander]

RIP. Lived only a few miles from me, but to this day I am ashamed to say I hadn't heard of him.

You will be missed. Your generation will not be forgotten.

[Laurel Green]

RIP Piper Bill.

[BrassMan]

digimeistter said:

RIP indeed, nutter or legend? It does show we are one nation when tested

Legendary nutter?

[Jimbeaux]

Wing Commander said:

RIP. Lived only a few miles from me, but to this day I am ashamed to say I hadn't heard of him.

You will be missed. Your generation will not be forgotten.

Once again I point out; barely a mention of this man today, but I bet there is plenty on which celeb checked into rehab or slept with their ex. ;rolleyes:

[The Nur]

R.I.P Brought a tear to my eye. He would never have fitted balls that size in trousers anyway, probably a good thing he wore a kilt.