The bag pipe playing bad ass of WW2
William Millin can be seen here playing the pipes for his fellow soldiers
Born in Canada on the 14th of July, 1922 to a Scottish father, William Millin was commonly known by others as Piper Bill.
Bill joined the Territorial Army in Fort William, where his family had moved and played in the pipe bands of the highland light infantry and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders before volunteering as a commando in World War 2 under the command of Lord Lovat.
Bill gained notoriety during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 better known as D-Day. Bill was part of the invasion as he landed on Sword beach which was one of the five main landing areas along the coast of Normandy that the British army was responsible for.
Traditionally been used by Scottish and Irish warriors, bag pipers had to stay in the rear of combat as they could easily be shot by the enemy. When ordered to to get on the front line Bill questioned his commanding officer Lord Lovat citing the regulations given by the English military. Lord Lovat then interjected saying “Ah, but that’s the English War Office. You and I are both Scottish, and that doesn’t apply.”
Bill proceeded to advance the beach wearing a traditional Scottish kilt and playing the songs of his people such as: “Highland Laddie”, “The Road to the Isles” and other such songs as bullets ripped through his comrades around him.
After the beach was captured from the occupying German forces, Bill later questioned the German soldiers that had been captured. He asked why they had not shot him as he pushed the beach but they shot everyone else. They replied to him saying they saw and heard the bag pipes on his back but simply thought he had gone mad during the battle.
After the war, He was awarded the Legion D’honneur for gallantry in June 2009. Piper Bills’ bagpipes which he named his “campaign pipes” were later donated the now Pegasus Bridge Museum in France
Piper Bill was not only an inspiring symbol for the Scottish during the battle but he also became a bona fide bad ass ever since.
Sources:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/03/19/piper-bill-millin–obituary/