Female revolutionary soldier Nguyen Thi Tich

(Baonghean) In the last days of 2011, I went to Phan village, Thong Lang commune (now hamlet 8, Hung Tan commune, Hung Nguyen district), and heard the story of Ms. Nguyen Thi Tich - a revolutionary soldier who met comrade Ly Thuy (Uncle Ho) in 1931, in China.

At the Nguyen family temple, I came across a photo of Nguyen Thi Tich framed in a solemn glass frame. I lit a stick of incense on the family altar to pay my respects to her. Sitting next to a simple table and chairs in the side house, Nguyen Trong Ai said: Tich was born in 1916, also known as Hoang Le Minh, Ly Phuong Thuan, Ngo Ung Thuan, Ly Tieu Muoi, in a family with a tradition of patriotism and studiousness. Her father, Nguyen Trong Quyen, was enlightened about the revolution early on.

When he was 9 years old (in 1924), Mr. Tich was sent by his father to a patriotic soldier named Co Khon to follow a youth group abroad. At that time, following the call of Mr. Phan Boi Chau, the youth of Nghe An crossed mountains and forests to work abroad. Mr. Tich left his family to go to Laos to study. This class had 5 people, led by comrade Vu Tung on behalf of the group. Later, he was sent by the group to Siam to study at Hoa Anh school.



A year later, he was sent to Guangzhou (China) to study at Zhongshan Elementary School under the new name of Ngo Ung Thuan. After graduating, he was assigned by the organization to work at the secret agency of the overseas branch of our Party, led by comrade Phung Chi Kien. Some time later, he was given a job as a worker at the Ky Electric Factory by comrade Ly Thuy and was admitted to the Communist Party of China. (1)

In April 1931, Nguyen Thi Tich was assigned to work as an assistant in the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Organization in Hong Kong as a translator and liaison. At this time, she took on a new name, Ly Phuong Thuan, with a background of Nanjing (China) and was the niece of Tong Van So (Uncle Ho).

Early in the morning of June 6, 1931, the door of house number 186 Tam Lung Street (Hong Kong) was knocked loudly. Mr. Tong (Tong Van So) opened the door. "Are you Tong Van So?" - The British officer asked while looking at the police entourage. "Yes, what do you need?". Mr. Tong Van So, you are Nguyen Ai Quoc, the absent criminal in Indochina, you are under arrest!". (2)

Also arrested with Tong Van So was Ly Phuong Thuan. In Tong Van So's first trial (July 31, 1931), Ly Phuong Thuan was released due to insufficient evidence. Knowing that Ly Phuong Thuan would have difficulty escaping the siege of secret agents, from inside prison, Tong Van So secretly wrote a letter and gave it to Phuong Thuan to take to Cuong De, who was taking refuge in Japan. (He was arranged by Phan Boi Chau to be the President of Duy Tan Association). Ly Phuong Thuan stayed with Cuong De for a while and then had to return to Guangzhou because Cuong De was expelled by Japan. Afraid of being exposed, Ly Phuong Thuan went to Shanghai and then returned to Que Chau. Due to losing contact with the organization, he worked many jobs to make a living.

The August Revolution in 1945 succeeded, hearing the news of the country's independence, Mr. Ly Phuong Thuan hurriedly returned to the Fatherland. Arriving in the capital Hanoi, entering the house of an acquaintance named Tong Minh Phuong, Ly Phuong Thuan saw the family hanging the national flag and a picture of President Ho Chi Minh, he was shocked and moved to immediately recognize comrade Tong Van So!

That afternoon, President Ho Chi Minh called comrade Le Gian, General Director of the Central Police Department. He extended his hand to Ly Phuong Thuan and said: “This is Ms. Hoang Le Minh, who has been through secret operations and has a lot of experience. I really need cadres like this to learn about and deal with the Chiang army”… Hoang Le Minh received a special mission as a receptionist at the Thang Long Hotel in front of Hanoi train station, where the Chiang army occupied as a residence. Tran Lung, who directly used Hoang Le Minh to serve the reconnaissance work to grasp the plots and tricks of the Chiang army, later became the Director of the Criminal Department of the Ministry of Public Security. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tich - Hoang Le Minh completed the assigned task well, then became Tran Lung’s life partner. They had a happy family in Hanoi. She passed away on December 12, 1995… (3)

(1) – Story of Mr. Nguyen Trong Ai, 80 years old, Hamlet 9 – Hung Tan, Hung Nguyen

(2) – Nguyen Ai Quoc on the way back home (Thanh Dam), National Political Publishing House – Nghe An Publishing House, 1994 p.137

(3) – Hung Nguyen Cultural Geography, Ninh Viet Giao, Thai Huy Bich, Social Sciences Publishing House, Hanoi, 2009, p.751

Pham Xuan Thanh