AT THE TOMB OF NAPOLEON

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 4

AT THE TOMB OF NAPOLEON

—. 5 AUSTRALIAN CORPORAL SALUTES THE MIGHTY DEAD. Corporal Stanley M'lCay, well known in the theatrical profession in New South Wales and ether parts of tho Commonwealth, who is attached to the Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery, was on eight days' leave in Paris in March. Writing lo a member of tho Sydney "Sun" staff he says:—"l visited the palaces of Versailles, Malmaison, and Fontainblnaii. I think Versailles is the grandest of tho three, Malmaison being the most charming* The lost is inseparably associated w<~n the domestic life of Napoleon and Josephine, but it is only a chateau compared to tho others. I saw the death mask of Napoleon on view at Malmaison, and there nl3o I saw n picture that I had not yd seen, and which conveyed to rno the correct idea, of tlifc extraordinary personality that existed in that great man. Thero aro aiso a couple of letters on view at Malmaison, written from Napoleon to Josephine durinjr one of the Italian campaigns. One of the. letters effervesces with affection. "1 visited Napoleon's tomb in the Hotel des Invalides, and when myseif and niv Australian brothers in khaki looked 'down under the Dome on thatmighty warrior we were almost overcome by a spirit of reverential awe. As soon as we bfthcld tho spot where Napoleon eternally sleeps we instinctively stood to attention and sainted. I do not think (•hat thrill of saln.ting the illustrious warrior will over leave me. What would he not have accomplished with half a million of Australian soldiers? I hat was the thought that ran through my brain as I left the marvellous tomb.