William Millin, commonly known as Piper Bill, was a Canadian musician who played bagpipes, and was personal piper to Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, commander of the British 1 Special Service Brigade at D-Day.
Bill Millin plays his pipes for fellow soldiers in 1944
Landing on Queen Red Beach, Sword; Millin is in the foreground at the right; Lovat is wading through the water to the right of the column.
Piper Bill Millin's bagpipes played on Sword during the D-Day landings on display at Dawlish Museum along with his bonnet, 100-year-old kilt and dirk
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, was a prominent British Commando during the Second World War and the 24th Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat. Known familiarly as Shimi Lovat, an anglicised version of his name in Scottish Gaelic; his clan referred to him as MacShimidh, his Gaelic patronym. During Operation Overlord, he led the Special Service Brigade at Sword Beach and to successfully capture Pegasus Bridge, accompanied by his piper Bill Millin.
Lord Lovat in 1942
Lord Lovat at Newhaven after returning from the Dieppe Raid, August 1942.
4 Commando before the Hardelot raid
Dieppe Raid 1942, plaque at Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer.
