Obit: 21 Guns for D-Day Bagpiper Bill Millin(2010)

Subject: Obit: Bill Millin-D-Day Piper
From: Mark Ross
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 09:47 AM

NYTimes Obituary

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Millin-D-Day Piper
From: GUEST,guest - Jim Younger
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 01:58 PM

Thanks for posting this, the man deserves a mention. Piper Millin was interviewed on radio and his account of the D-Day pipe episode was very amusing. Lord Lovat, his commander, said to him: "How about playing a tune?" and the piper (thinking this was daft, in a storm of shot and shell) replied, tongue-in-cheek: "How about I march up and down playing the pipes?" - Lord Lovat replied: "That would be very nice, thank you!" So he marched up and down and played his way into history.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Millin-D-Day Piper
From: EBarnacle
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 02:12 PM

If you follow the link in the story, you get the early lyrics for Hielan' Laddy. Casts an interesting note on the chantey.

Subject: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Lox
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 03:45 PM

What do I say without sounding trite ...

"Scottish WWII piper Bill Millin dies in Devon hospital"


The geneva convention has probably banned such inhumane weaponry nowadays, but lets spare a thought for the man who played the original soundtrack to D-Day.

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

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Lox
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 03:47 PM

Woops ...

Here's the clicky ...

          A Brave Scot!

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Lox
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 05:52 PM

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Lox
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 05:03 AM

I am very surprised to see that there has been no comment on here considering the hugely iconic status of the Man.

If you consider that this was basically the most dangerous gig of all time it has a lot of relevance to folkies.

If there are no posts from anyone else I may reopen this thread under the title "the most dangerous gig of all time"

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Boho
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 06:39 AM

He must have been a very brave man to face the guns with only his pipes to protect him. Good obit in the Economist (not sure if the link will work if not logged in):

http://www.economist.com/node/16885894?story_id=16885894

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Boho
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 06:44 AM

Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Millin

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Will Fly
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 06:50 AM

Only just spotted this thread, Lox - hence a late'ish reply.

He sounds as though he was a good, true and brave man, and if he inspired his comrades to do what they had to do, then he did more than his duty. RIP.

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Leadfingers
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 07:28 AM

I DID like the comment from the German Sodier when asked why they didnt target him - He was obviously Mad !!

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Boho
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 10:51 AM

Immortalised in film: "The Longest Day"

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 11:31 AM

The previous thread was Obit: Bill Millin-D-Day Piper, Age 88(Aug 18 2010).

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Cats
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 01:03 PM

At his funeral today the hearse was led in by a single piper.

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: open mike
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 01:31 PM

it seems the other thread is more appropriately titled.
perhaps these comments should be added to the earlier discussion.

Subject: RE: 21 Guns for the Normandy Bag-Piper - RIP
From: Lox
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 01:37 PM

The two threads should definitely be merged.

I'll PM Joe.

I'm just glad that there seems to be interest.

I would have found it astonishing if the death of Folk musics bravest/maddest proponent had gone unacknowledged by the cat!

I particularly enjoyed this
Tribute to him.

Subject: RE: Obit: 21 Guns for D-Day Bagpiper Bill Millin(2010)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 01:53 PM

Threads merged. For the sake of standardization, which helps searching and helps avoid duplication, death notice threads should include the words obit: and the person's name. A brief description of the deceased (e.g., D-Day bagpiper) is also very helpful, as is the date of death.
We moderators have a few extra spaces available, so we usually add the date of death.
We've chosen "obit" as the tag for death notices, so it's probably better to omit the RIP and include more useful information.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Obit: 21 Guns for D-Day Bagpiper Bill Millin(2010)
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 02 Sep 10 - 02:08 PM

Just after reading the article I noticed an advert on the same page about something called "dry eye syndrome" and thought "that's ironic, I'm experiencing the opposite". Another one lost from the greatest generation.