The Mad Piper II -- D-Day Commemoration



NPR had a piece today on Bill Millen, the Mad Piper of D-Day.

Listen (with "Real Player") here.

The much shorter print version is here.

Millen, and I think the presenter, too, both refer to Millen as the only piper playing on D-Day. Not literally true. There were actually a couple of RN pipers who played from the bridges of their respective ships as the men went ashore. I've seen more than one reference to these naval pipers but I don't have a citation for you. Once again you'll have to take my word for this bit of ephemera. Warning: Although I am the soul of veracity and careful research, it's probably not admissable in court.

Trivia point #2: The first of the pipe tunes that ends the segment is indeed "Road to the Isles" (or "Dust in the Drones" as it was originally named) but the second tune in the set which is not named on the broadcast is "Glendaruel Highlanders". And that's my bit of showing-off for today.