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Bill Millin...

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RockDoctor

Posted: Aug 24th 2010, 07:47 PM

sometimes referred to as that "crazy bastard" passed away last Wednesday at 87. Private Millin, a Scottish Bagpiper and member of the Britrian's 1'st Special Forces Brigade, was ordered to play his bagpipes as the British assaulted Sword Beach on June 6, 1944. Millian cited regulations against forbidding playing bagpipes on the battle field, but Brig. General Fraser replied, "Ah, but that's the English War Office. You and I are both Scottish, and that doesn't apply."

So, Millian waded ashore with only his bagpipe, his skirt floating in the cold waist-deep water, and marched up and down the beach playing "Highland Laddie" and "Road to the Isles" among others, bullets flying around to the cheers of his comrades.

With German troops raking the beach with artillery and machine-gun fire, the piper played on. German soldiers, after the war said they didn't fire on him because they though he was crazy.

Amazing. If you remember, his act was illlustrated in the movie, "The Longest Day".

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LoneRanger

Posted: Aug 24th 2010, 08:03 PM

Don't think I would fire on a man wearing a skirt and playing a bagpipe
on the battlefield either. R.I.P. crazy bastard. Above and beyond the
call of duty

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Bishopn87

Posted: Aug 24th 2010, 08:25 PM

One note ... the piper portraying Bill Millin in 'The Longest Day' was in fact ... Bill Millin himself.

I'm a piper myself, and I've gotta say, I've always looked up to him.

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RockDoctor

Posted: Aug 24th 2010, 11:25 PM

Bishop, that's very cool. It's been a while since I've seen the movie many times and didn't remember he played himself. Quite a story. When you play, do you play "Regimental"?

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Bishopn87

Posted: Aug 25th 2010, 12:14 AM

Depends on the threat level re: sand fleas.

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Trilarian

Posted: Aug 25th 2010, 11:23 AM

Bishop, the article claims otherwise. I haven't watched the film so don't know any different. After reading this though I might have to add it to the list to watch.

Mr. Millin did not, as is popularly supposed, play himself in the cameo role as the piper in the war film spectacular of 1962 "The Longest Day." Pipe Major Leslie de Laspee, official piper to the Queen Mother at the time, played on that occasion.

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RockDoctor

Posted: Aug 25th 2010, 07:38 PM

Bagpipes in the "Longest Day" Video

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Bishopn87

Posted: Aug 25th 2010, 08:22 PM

Well, that's what you get for believing urban legend, I guess, Trilarian.

Here's a pretty good video of my old band. Obviously I don't know anyone that's still part of it now - the plebes when I was a senior graduated in 2003 - but these kids are all still part of the long grey line.

Historical note: the girl that starts out the pipers is playing my old set of pipes. I'd know them anywhere.

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