John Millin, son of Piper Bill Millin, has been an Honorary Member of BOWU International since its inception.

Each year, accompanied by his son Jacob Millin (Bill Millin's grandson) when he can, John joins all the Pipers & Drummers of the association to commemorate the Normandy landings, where his father landed in the morning of June 6, 1944.

In this photo, John poses with his father's bagpipes.

(Photo credit: John Millin)

The Bill Millin's statue

The Mad Piper

The statue of William "Bill" Millin, or "Piper Bill" stands where the Franco-British commandos dismounted on the morning of June 6, 1944 on Sword Beach sector, in Colleville-Montgomery, formerly Colleville-sur-Orne .

The German defense zone, known as Wn18, was particularly well defended, which cost the lives of many men.

A memory project in his name and that of all the men who have walked the beaches of Normandy was launched in June 2009 by the newly created D-day Piper Bill Millin association. A global subscription will be launched to finance this sculpture, alongside an active search for sponsors.

It faithfully represents him as he landed, at the age of 21 with his bagpipes, wearing the kilt his father wore in Palestine in 1916.

The model of the project was presented to him in Dawlish, by Gaëtan, in November 2009. Thanks to the progress of the collection, he was able to begin the modeling in January 2010, then it was necessary to wait until May 2012 for the financing to be finalized and to launch the end of the operation.

In October 2012 the earthen extension, made by the foundry and reworked by Gaëtan, was presented to his son, John, who gave his agreement for the realization of the bronze. After more than six months and a period in consecutive workshops, this monumental bronze statue, 2.60 m tall, was ready to be installed in Colleville-Montgomery. Its inauguration took place on June 8, 2013.

Bill in love with France, born on the 14th of July, sits enthroned today facing the beach. This statue has become an emblematic place for each Piper, especially during the commemorations of the Normandy landings.

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