I have just been reading the article on the 55 foot Thornycroft CMTB 331 on the BMPB Team site http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boats/MTB-331/index.htm - http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boats/MTB-331/index.htm

Further to the information there, I can confirm that two of the pre war CMBs were sold to the Chinese Navy under the command of Vice Admiral Chan Chak CN. The two boats were Kuai 19 & Kuai 20. They were then requesisioned by the Royal Navy & re-numbered MTBs 26 & 27 to complement the six BPB 60 foot MTBs 06-12 of the 2^nd MTB Flotilla in Hong Kong. MTB 26, ex Kuai 19 was scuttled at 05.00 on Boxing day 26^th December 1941 along with MTBs 07, 09, 10, & 11 off the coast of Nanao in Mirs Bay. MTB 27 ex Kuai 20 was lost in action against the Japanese in a daylight action on the 19^th December 1941 led by MTB 07 on which my late father was the  SPO. More information on my website at http://www.hongkongescape.org/ - www.hongkongescape.org

There is movie footage of MTB 27 leaving Kowloon camber with Lt L D Kilbee as C/O, also in the footage she fires a torpedo as well as footage of the BPB MTBs. The movie can be viewed at http://www.movietone.com/ - www.movietone.com  just register then put the number 38484 in the “Search Story” box.

I knew Lt Laurence D Kilbee up until his death in 2006.