Actual photograph taken as Piper Bill Millen leaves landing craft, onto Sword Beach
The role of bagpipes on the front lines of war came to an end after the First World War. The high death toll inflicted on pipers relegated them to duty behind the front line in the camps. However, there are always people who defy the rules, this is the story of one of them.
The most famous bagpiper of WWII is Bill Millin. He was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in July of 1922. He grew up in Scotland, His family moved there when he was three. Millin joined the Territorial Army and played in the pipe bands of the Highland Light Infantry and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders before volunteering for service in WWII.
Bill Millin was a member of No. 4 Commando, part of the 1st Special Services Brigade. His commanding officer was the 15th Lord Lovat, Simon Fraser, who appointed Millin as his “personal piper.”
No. 4 Commando took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy on Sword Beach. They landed about 30 minutes behind the initial assault under heavy fire. Lord Lovat asked Millin to play the troops ashore, against regulations. After some hesitation, he agreed.
Millin was one of the first people off the landing craft. His only weapon was his sgian dubh. He wore his commando jacket and green beret along with the kilt that his father had worn in Flanders in the First World War. The soldier next to him was killed almost as soon as the ramp came down.
Bill Millin waded through water 3 feet deep to shore and then proceeded to march back and forth across the beach, 3 times, while under heavy machine-gun fire, as the rest of the unit came ashore. He played the tunes “Highland Laddie,” The Road to the Isles,” and “Blue Bonnets over the Border.” A captured German gunner later said they didn’t shoot him because they thought he had gone mad.
After the landing, No. 4 Commando moved inland to help secure Pegasus Bridge which was held by members of the 6th Airborne Division. Millin played “The Nut Brown Maiden” as They crossed the bridge.
On August 7, 2013, a statue of him, playing the bagpipes, was uncovered and dedicated at a memorial on Sword Beach.
After the war, Bill can be seen in the movie “The Longest Day” he plays himself, this time landing with actors instead of troops.
The Longest Day (1962) Peter Lawford as Lord Lovat.
