Farewell to the daughter of a White general, Milissia Tolstova. Brisbane. Jan 8, 2013

Today in Brisbane Milissia Vladimirovna Tolstova, the daughter of  General-Ataman V.S. Tolstov of the Ural Cossack Army, was farewelled on her final journey. She was the last representative of the Ural Cossacks who arrived in Australia in 1923.

Vladimir Sergeievich and Elizabeth Minovna Tolstov, having traversed the ice road of death, brought to Australia five children. The youngest, Sergei, was one year old. He was born during the exodus from Russia in Constantinople. Milissia and her brother Oleg were twins aged five. There were also older sisters, Vera and Olga. The general-ataman himself died in 1956. Now his wife and all his children have followed him to the eternal mansions. Milissia outlived her twin brother Oleg by eight years.

General- Ataman Vladimir Sergeievich Tolstov, the officers and men of the Ural Cossack Army were the only ones who succeeding in preserving their military flags and getting through all the customs check points on their journey to Australia. Until 23 September 2007 the flags were stored at St. Nicholas Cathedral, where the funeral service of Milissia Tolstov was held today. Replicas of the flags of the Ural Cossack Army, which are kept in the walls of the cathedral, today witnessed the farewell of an entire era. This year, 2013, St. Nicholas parish will celebrate its 90th anniversary. The parish was founded in the year of the arrival of a group of 66 Ural Cossack men and women and children, one of which was the five-year Milissia. Today the cathedral hosted our farewell to Milissia. Judging by the many relatives, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who came to farewell the oldest member of the Tolstov family, the book of the family history of the White general and legendary Cossack Army in Australia will never be closed. The funeral service was conducted by the dean Father Gabriel Makarov.

Rest in peace (Lit.: Eternal remembrance), Milissia.

Lioudmila Larkina. Brisbane.

Photos of the author and from the archive of S.V. Tolstov.

Photo 1: Milissia on the left with her brother Oleg in their parents’ arms. 1917. Russia.

Photo 2: The Tolstov family in Australia 1940. Milissia second left holding the baby.

Photo 3: The Tolstov family in Russia in 1900. Second row, third from left V.S. Tolstov who made it to Australia. All the others died in Russia.

In colour: The funeral at St. Nicholas Cathedral Brisbane. 01/08/2013.

Lioudmila Larkina.

Brisbane. 2013.