A Scottish bagpiper who played men into battle during World War II has died in Devon

BBC NEWS ^

[MadMitch]

A Scottish bagpiper who played men into battle during World War II has died in Devon.

Bill Millin, who was 88, played his comrades ashore on Sword Beach during the D-Day Normandy landings

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-11011884

[fso301]

Upon seeing an unarmed man strolling about the battlefield wearing a dress and playing bagpipes, Germans soldiers probably feared they were imagining things and becoming psych cases.

[Retired Greyhound]

Right. I’m sure he was a top target.

I’m Italian, but I love the pipes as well. And kilts.

Highland people are fierce warriors.

[Ammo Republic 15]

The sweetest sound in the world.

It makes me think of war.

[Ammo Republic 15]

I will definitely pull The Longest Day out of my film library tonight and watch in his honor.

[little jeremiah]

I love bagpipes. If I hear someone playing I will walk blocks to find him and listen.

Makes my hair stand on end.

[DJ MacWoW]

ping

[DuncanWaring]

They looked up and saw Bill Millin with his bagpipes, leading the reinforcements and ignoring the smack of the bullets into the ground around him.

[DJ MacWoW]

Me too. We were at a car dealer buying a car a few years back and there was a wedding across the road. Piper piping the bride into the church. The salesman kept asking me questions. Hubby told the salesman, “You’ll have to wait till he’s done”. LOL

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[mcshot]

I couldn’t agree more. Nothing grabs my heart and stimulates my tear ducts like the pipes. God lovem.

[Romulus]

The only other unarmed men on that whole beach were medics.

And chaplains.

[little jeremiah]

I would love to go to one of those competitions. Immersion.

Must be genetic! I’ve loved them ever since I first heard them, whenever that was, as a kid sometime.

[little jeremiah]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n9hbYwZZqk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msubRuvlKcc

Listening to the first one. Makes me want to dance!

[dfwgator]

“It takes an Irishman to play the pipes.”

[DJ MacWoW]

Same here. I have always wanted to attend a Gathering. They have them all over but I have never gotten to one.

[Charles Martel]

Skip forward to 5:55

Nice tribute to a Black Watch piper.

[Little Bill]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GowMI4wvmU4&feature=related

[sionnsar]

Thanks to ReneeLynn and DJMacWowfor the ping!

Pipes and Drums of FreeRepublic ping!

This is an ultra-low-volume ping list (typically weeks to months between pings, for matters related to Highland bagpipes and Scotland).
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this list.

Going to the Games? Organize a Clan FReeper get-together!

[Beowulf9]

“I thought that they went into battle to get away from the sound of the pipes”

Lol.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!