LATE CZAR’S PAGE

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 266, 5 August 1932, Page 2

LATE CZAR’S PAGE

Escape from the Soviet SAVED BY TICKET From the Imperial Palace at St. Petersburg to a shop in a Sydney arcade is a big stop—but that was the step taken by Nicolas de Krassilnikoff, a former subject of the late Czar of Russia. ■ . I De Krassilnikoff, w ho claims that he was a page of the Imperial Russian Palace, recently gave notice of his intention to apply for naturalisation as a British subject. ' He takes much pride in the fact that when the first threats of revolution presaged the end of the imperial regime, he was placed with two Princes in command of a special detachment to guard the life of the British Ambassador and the property of Britain. For that, he says,- he earned the personal .thanks of Sir George Buchanan. When escaping from Russia, he wrs arrested by Bolshevik soldiers near the Esthonlan border. Asked to produce his permit to leave, he showed the soldiers, as a last desperate bluff, an old library ticket. It worked. Two held it upside down and nodded- wisely. A third, who could read, secured it. Fortunately, there had been a few gaps in the soldier’s education, and all lie could make of the card were the words “six weeks.” “Ah, yes,” ho declared, “you have permission’ to leave for six weeks. You may go.” That was the end of Russia for de Krassilnikoff.. His personal -property there was. lost, but he bad estates iii Finland and Esthoniit, and was able to see his son enter the London University before he came to Australia.