Piper Bill Millin statue
Colleville-Montgomery
Location and info
On the beach front is a statue dedicated to a remarkable man - Piper William 'Bill' Millin - a Canadian-born, Scotland raised member of No4 Commando and personal piper to Lord Lovat, the commander of the British 1st Special Service on D-Day.
The tartan kilt-wearing soldier - aged just 21 at the time - landed on Sword beach and led his compatriots into battle armed only with his pipes and a knife tucked into his sock. From Sword Beach he led the troops to Pegasus Bridge where they linked up with 6th Airborne Division of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry.
Millin survived the war, passing away in August 2010 aged 88.
The quote on the side of the statue's plinth states: “If they remember the bagpiper, then they won’t forget those who served and fell on the beaches” - Piper William ‘Bill’ Millin.