BAAG Roll of Honour.
From a Post-war statement by Mrs Lau Chut Koo, mother of Lau Tak Oi:
“.... After the surrender of Hongkong to the Japanese my son-in-law Mr Loie became the head of an espionage agency. Mr Loie was arrested by the Japanese. On 6.June 43 my daughter was arrested and on 27.July 43 my son was arrested. My son’s name is Lau Tak Kwong. All were arrested because they were helping David in his work.
David was arrested in his office. My daughter was arrested at No.40 Belcher’s Street H.K. (this was the house of her aunt’s and where she had hidden herself). My son was arrested at the Central Fire Brigade Station where he was working as a Sub-Officer."
Report of Japanese Court Martial October 1943: Lau Tak Oi (female aged 33) lived together with Loie Fook Wing from about April 1940. When, in March 1943, the latter went over to the British organisation in China, the former helped to maintain communications with him, well knowing that he was engaged in espionage work directed against the Japanese forces.
Sentenced to death – executed on 29th October 1943.
Comments
From a statement by W J
From a statement by W J Andersen, formerly Government Stores Controller, Hongkong, dated 13th October, 1945, describing his contact with Lau Tak Oi in Stanley Prison in 1943.
LAU TAK OI.
"I also noted one Sunday afternoon [about the end of July] the arrival of a European, a Chinese man and woman. The woman [was put] in Cell No 35. ... ...
In my cell were iron rods which passed through to the adjoining cells. Formerly the rods had hooks to support hammocks. The hooks had been sawn off by the Japanese in case, I gather, the hooks might be used for suicides.
Before the Chinese woman arrived in Cell No 35 I had spent hours with my piece of wire picking the cement holding the iron rod which passed through to this cell. I hoped to be able to remove the iron rod. I continued with this operation after the Chinese woman's arrival and I was agreeably surprised to hear her picking from her end. I had a new thrill and a determination to release the rod quickly.
The second day after her arrival I was at the spy-hole when I heard her cell door open. She passed by on her way to the wash-house carrying clothes. On her way back she dropped a basin of water at my cell door. She asked and was allowed to mop up the water. I was at the spy-hole when she stopped and said "please try and get the rod out; if I cannot speak to someone I will go mad. I have a strong piece of wire and when I pass your cell again and no one looking I will drop it and kick it under your door". Well, I was on my hands and knees three times when the woman passed before I collected the wire.
In another two days the rod was sufficiently loose to talk easily through the space between rod and wall. I remember the thrill when I could see the light in Cell No 35 and when I asked if my new friend could see me. Her reply was "yes, I see your eye". The rod was soon completely removable.
Names were exchanged, the lady was Gladys Loie "wife" of David Loie, Assistant Chemist in the Hongkong Government Laboratory, and our No 1 man in BAAG Waichow communications. She was a former nurse in the Medical Department but at the outbreak of war was a "free-lance" nurse.
Mrs Loie, as she was known, was most anxious for news of her husband who she was told had been arrested in his office by the Gendarmes. I could not give her any news and tried to assure her that as he had not been seen he might have escaped. She described her arrest and torture by the Gendarmes.
I asked her who her companions were when she arrived in "G" Hall. The Chinese man was her brother. ... ... ...
Mrs Loie and I had conversations through the hole in the wall many times daily until our transfer from "G" Hall on the 19th August. She told me all about her own case and also what she knew about those connected with her husband. ...".
Gladys Lau Tak Oi was executed on 29th October, 1943.
Gladys Loie/Lau Tak Oi
Gladys Loie/Lau Tak Oi is also mentioned under John Alexander Fraser here