Thomas Tim WONG (aka WONG Wang-Tim) [????-????]
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Submitted by emride on Tue, 2015-05-12 16:12
Sex:
Male
Status:
Deceased
Thomas Tim Wong wrote: "Ip Kam Wing sacrificed himself for the work. No one knows how much the Police Reserves had done and suffered for the Crown, and only those who have survived are able to describe the various ordeals."
From a statement by Thomas Wong in March, 1956.
"I was a senior member of the Hongkong Police Reserve (Chinese Company), with which force I served from 1933 until the surrender of the Colony. During the defence of Hongkong I was the only member of the Police Reserve Force captured by the enemy, when they landed in North Point, together with several members of the regular Police Force, when my escape route to the Central District was cut off. I made my escape from the enemy hands the same night.
After the surrender of Hongkong, I began to discuss with the late Mr David Loie and Mr C C Mok to form an espionage group from former members of the Police Reserves ... to continue the prosecution of the war underground. [The BAAG] decision to support our movement later brought the "M" group into existence. ... Upon discovery by the Japanese of my activities, I escaped to Waichow, and posted to take charge of news propaganda work at BAAG AHQ. In 1944 I was personally requested by Major Homes to reorganise my group which continued to work in Japanese occupied Hongkong."
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Ex-B.A.A.G.
Ex-B.A.A.G.
Man Acquitted
The General Military Court yesterday unanimously acquitted Wong Wang-tim alias Thomas Tim Wong, formerly of the B.A.A.G., on a charge of procuring a woman to impersonate the widow of Lam Kwok-yiu, a deceased member of the B.A.A.G., with intent to defraud Major R.C. Cooper of a sum of money due to the widow of Lam.
The Court consisted of Mr. Leo d’Almada (President), Major H.D.S. Page and Capt. G.E. Cadogan-Edwards. Mr. F.X. d’Almada conducted the prosecution.
It was alleged that Wong procured a woman to impersonate Chan Yim-king, widow of Lam Kwok-yiu, and fraudulently obtained from Maj. Cooper the sum of $9,600 due to Lam’s widow as compensation from the B.A.A.G.
Major Holmes testified yesterday that Wong worked under him for four months in the East River area. During that period he carried a certain amount of responsible work, and he had found accused very loyal to the British. In answer to Mr. Silva witness said he would, without hesitation, give Wong “a good recommendation.”
Source: Hong Kong Sunday Herald, page 4, 31st March 1946
Ex-B.A.A.G.
Ex-B.A.A.G.
Man In the Box
A former member of the British Army Aid Group, Wong Wing-tim, alias Thomas Wong Tim, gave evidence in his own defence yesterday at the General Military Court before which he is charged with having, on or about Nov. 29, procured a woman, not in custody, to falsely personate Chan Yim-king, the widow of Lam Kwok-yiu, deceased member of the B.A.A.G., and fraudulently obtained from Major R.C. Cooper a sum of money due and payable to Chan Yim-King.
Members of the Court were Mr. Leo d’Almada (President), Major H.D.S. Page and Capt. G.E. Cadogan-Edwards.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, Mr. F.X. d’Almada Prosecuting Officer made an application for an adjournment. Prosecuting counsel said that it had only just come to his notice that certain documents were found on accused when he was arrested. He asked for an adjournment to go through the documents.
Mr. Silva, Defending Counsel, opposed the application and pointed out that accused was arrested on January 28 and the police had the documents for over two months. He also objected to the delay on the ground that the defence may possibly lose an invaluable witness, the sister-in-law, and result in embarrassment to the defence.
Rejecting the application, Mr. Leo d’Almada said it was perfectly clear that since accused was arrested on January 28, the Police had had every opportunity of examining the documents.
Wong Lai-shiu, mother of Chan Yim-king, testified to accused paying over $2,500 to her daughter. She denied that her daughter, in her presence, had apologised to accused for having threatened him.
Accused (Wong Wing-tim) said he was now a probationary Sub-Inspector undergoing training at the Police Training School. Prior to the war, he was working with a newspaper and then in the Immigration Department.
Accused said that he did exceptionally good work during the hostilities. On one occasion, he, together, with Sgt. Paullett, had lead a police patrol in an attempt to prevent an enemy landing at Taikoo in the course of which Sgt. Paullett was wounded and he himself was taken prisoner but escaped the following day.
Espionage
After the occupation he was asked by the Japanese to organise the gendarme detective squad in Kowloon but he refused to accept the offer. In 1942 he joined a group whose aim was to do espionage work for the British Forces. The group was headed by David Loie, O.C. of the Police Reservists. In December 11, 1942 on instructions of Loie, he went to Kweilin and contacted Col. L.T. Ride. Liasion was established between the B.A.A.G. and the group working in Hong Kong. On learning that he was suspected by the Japanese, he stayed in Free China and worked for the B.A.A.G. One of his duties was to take charge and organise a B.A.A.G. group in Hong Kong. Another was to establish liaison between Admiral Chan Chak and the British. Accused said he had served under Major Holmes and Maj. E.J. Tessedale.
On his return to the Colony in September, he went and interviewed Major Cooper with regard to compensation for descendants of deceased members of the group. He was instructed by Maj. Cooper to obtain the names of such dependents. In his group, accused said, four such families were involved and among them was the case of Lam Kwok-yiu. He contacted Lam’s sister and from her learned of Lam’s case.
After obtaining all the information, he handed it to Maj. Cooper. Towards the end of November, Maj. Cooper sent for him and asked him to bring his four cases to the B.A.A.G. office. This message he gave to Lam’s sister to give to the widow. Accused said that he was not aware that money was to be paid over the next day. The next morning he went to the B.A.A.G. office and saw in the outer office three families of deceased members. When he called for the widow of Lam Kwok-yiu a woman answered and gave the name of Chan Yim-king. After informing Major Cooper of the presence of the dependants of deceased members accused went back to the Training School.
Wong said he was not certain whether the woman at the B.A.A.G. headquarters was the widow, Chan Yim-king, now in Court, but added that there was some resemblance.
Compensation
About the middle of January Chan Yim-king and her father went to see him about compensation from the B.A.A.G. Chan told accused that he held him responsible for the money being paid to another person and demanded $3,000 from accused and threatened to report the matter to the police.
Accused said he was frightened because at the time the police was making inquiries into another case and he was under suspicion. As this might create prejudice against him he offered Chan all the money he had saved up, $2,500. On Feb 26 he handed over the money to the widow. He did not get a receipt as he thought it was not necessary.
Lam Lai-fung, sister-in-law of Chan Yim-king, testified that accused went to look for her about her brother. Witness said she gave all information about her brother’s family to accused.
Hearing was adjourned to this morning.
Source: The China Mail, page 2, 30th March 1946