Bill Millin, bagpiper who accompanied British troops on D-Day, dies at 88

PFC Bill Millin playing for the troops.

Once in a while the Washington Post prints something worthy of its reputation.  The linked article is, however, a sad report.  Bill Millin, the man who piped the British ashore on D-Day in 1944, has passed on to his reward.  

An artist's rendition of a piper leading troops into battle in WWI.

We are most accustomed to hearing bagpipes at ceremonies that honor our dead especially if they were serving in the military or law enforcement when they died; but bagpipes have a tradition of leading troops into battle.  So it was that PFC Bill Millin went ashore on D-Day playing for the troops going ashore to fight the Germans.  For many the sound of the pipes was the last thing they heard on this earth.  PFC Millin carried on a tradition that spans many of the wars of history up to the present day.  He is a hero now gone to his reward.  I am sure that the pipers played well as he was carried to rest.

Carrying on the tradition in Iraq.

  

A piper leading another hero to rest.  May he rest in peace.

May PFC Millin rest in peace.

Follow the link for the story.