General Discussion
Bill Millin
Sad news today, Bill Millin arguably Dawlish's most famous resident has died. You may know of him as being Lord Lovat's piper at the D Day landings, a character and incident recreated in the film The Longest Day. Bill was an utterly charming man and will be sadly missed. RIP Bill, God bless.
RIP Mr Millin. " They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Now at rest with his former colleagues and friends.
to donate to his statue go to http://ddaypiperbillmillin.over-blog.com/article-your-contribution-44409045.html copied this from eyes of dawlish on facebook - it occasionally has it's uses!
Why has a town resident complained about and blocked the £1000 donation by the British Legion towards the cost of this statue? The mind boggles!!!!!!
If there is a more deserving cause than this, then I would like to know.
A very petty act in my honest opinion.
Shame on you!
I couldn't agree with you more! Thanks Nelson & Northerner.
We have made a pledge so we will try to make it happen. All of the money we raised so far (which the complainant had nothing to do with!) cannot be used. Therefore we will be spending our time re-raising it but making sure that everyone who participates knows that it will go for the statue fund, This time could have better been spent on the Poppy Appeal but it will be done. I hope Dawlish will support us so that we can donate to the statue fund before June 2013.
Bad show by top table,now lost faith in RBL,seems they take your money an spend it on something else, not why i gave.as for the person that complained hope they never needs help,as you have just messed it up,(prick)
It could be funds are stretched with men arriving back from combat with arms and legs missing plus those suffering with P.T.S.D . Bill Millin was a great man and a brave soldier but i wonder what his priorities would be. I have had many conversations with Bill and would guess he would want his comrades in arms looked after by the legion as he was. The work the Legion do with injured soldiers is amazing and maybe just maybe if some of those above had lost limbs or had severe P.T.S.D from combat they may just look at the big picture and have a different point of view.
Perhaps we should have a statue of him in Dawlish? Here is an extract of a letter published in today's Gazette. The author complains about the money spent on the recently erected signposts in the town centre and then says:
"In my opinion money would be better spent on a statue to our famous past resident Bill Millin, of D-Day Landings fame, as well as film and book mentions. Wonderful sites abound – the seating area by the railway viaduct would be my choice and it could be viewed easily by car and train passengers.
Tourists love taking each other’s photo by statues. In Hong Kong there is often a queue to be photographed by Bruce Lee’s excellent bronze. Others well frequented by happy snappers are Eric Morecambe’s in Lancashire, the Commandos group in Scotland and even my own previous abode, Staines Town, has two men with a roll of linoleum honouring the factory that was once its main employer."
I personally have a bit of an issue with the idea of a statue in Dawlish. Bill would've been the first to remind people that he was not alone on Sword Beach. There are other surviving Normandy veterans in the town also and many more relatives and friends of those who were there and have since passed on.
Whereas a statue of Bill in Dawlish would be a statue to him only, the French Bill Millin statue website says: "You understand that this memorial is not a tribute only to Bill Millin, but to all those who contributed to the liberation of Europe."
I've just come from a meeting at Dawlish Branch, The Royal Bitish Legion, and we are all quite stunned.
Despite asking for nothing, we have received donations for Bill's (and all those who participated in the Liberation of Europe) memorial statue to the sum of £525! This is incredible and makes us very proud to live among the people of Dawlish.
We have promised to continue fund raising (but not throughout the Remembrance period where everything we raise, properly and rightfully, goes to the Poppy Appeal) to reach our £1000 pledge and we will get there.
Could I please ask though, that if anyone wishes to donate to the Statue Appeal, they make cheques out to 'Dawlish Branch, The Royal British Legion' but write on the back 'For Bill Millin Statue Fund' otherwise we can't ensure that it gets there. Similarly for cash please make it clear that it is for the Statue Fund.
Thanks Dawlish.....yet again you are stars! XXX
Dawlish Branch, The Royal British Legion.
