French condemn ‘mean’ British over not providing funds for memorial

LONDON - French fundraisers have condemned the British as “mean” after less than ten donated money for a statue in honour of one of the few living heroes of D-Day.

Piper Bill Millin, now 86, braved enemy fire on Sword Beach in Normandy to play ‘Highland Laddie’ on his bagpipes repeatedly to boost morale among the landing troops,

But one year after a French pipe band launched a campaign to raise 80,000 pounds for a bronze statue of Piper Millin, they revealed that just eight Britons have contributed.

According to The Telegraph, the majority of the money raised so far has come from the French who made 66 out of 87 donations. A handful of donations have also come from Americans, Swiss and Belgians.

Organisers are still #70,000 short of their target.

Piper Millin, who lives in a nursing home in Dawlish, Devon, has travelled to Normandy to help with the fundraising despite being confined to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke.

On D-Day he was a member of the 1st Commando Brigade under Lord Lovat, who ignored orders that no pipes should be played, because of worries about a high death toll.

He waded ashore wearing the kilt his father had worn in the First World War and was ordered to play.

He said: “I just said okay and got on with it.”

He found out later that the Germans didn’t try to shoot him as they thought he was mad. (ANI)