After their victory in Western Europe, Germans pressed captured British equipment into service, and some examples remained as late as 1945.
The Belgian Army had some one hundred and fifty Vickers Carden-Loyd Mark I ‘Dragon’ (export version) light tanks designated as Char Leger Modele T.
In addition, there were some seventy-five Renault FT-17/18 two-man light tanks, but there is no evidence of them being used by the Germans, although it is possible that they were classified as Dutch or French FT series tanks.
The main haul of captured enemy tanks to fall into German hands came after the fall of France. During the course of the French Campaign the Germans captured approximately 2.400 out of the 3,500 French tanks in service as of 10th May 1940. On 30th August 1941 Hitler issued an order that all captured equipment was to be used to equip Panzer Divisions newly formed in France. Captured tanks were issued to the four Panzer Regiments numbered from 201 to 204; these regiments were equipped entirely with captured tanks, additional machines were transferred to Panzer Abteilung z.b.V (special employment units), which included Panzer Regiments 100, 202 to 205, 211 to 214 and 223 Panzer Abteilung. In addition there were numerous captured tank platoons. The majority of those units operated in occupied territories, especially the Balkans, where they performed internal policing and security duties.