Alongside the French army there was the British Expeditionary Force (BHF), 400,000 men strong with some 704 tanks of various types as of 10th May 1940.
The BEF began its evacuation from Dunkirk on 16th May 1940, which eventually evacuated some 340,000 allied soldiers but left behind all of its heavy equipment. Only 13 British tanks were brought back from France. The Germans captured all of the abandoned British tanks but only pressed around 250 into service due to their condition and a shortage of ammunition and spare parts. The majority were scrapped for parts to keep a Captured Panzer Company with three platoons equipped with British tanks into 1941.
The most numerous tank used by the BEF was the Vickers-Carden-Lloyd Light (Reconnaissance) Tank Mark VIB and VIC. Lightly armoured and armed, they were fast but unreliable and were of little or no combat value. Mark VIs were used by the Germans for training purposes by units stationed in France for the abortive Operation Seelowe (Sea Lion) - the invasion of England – while some equipped the 1st platoon of the Captured Panzer Company as of early 1940. In order to maintain the Mark VIs a number of damaged tanks were taken apart by repair workshops to provide spare parts.
The British Mark VIs became the first foreign vehicle to be converted into mobile artillery by Captain Alfred Becker. From June to December of 1940 Becker modified and converted 18 Mark VIs to self-propelled artillery. Conversion consisted of the installation of an armoured superstructure at the rear of the vehicle, which housed the main armament. Along with these conversions, four Mark VIs were converted to unarmed radio and observation tanks. This conversion was designated as Funk und Beobachtungspanzer auf Fahrgestell Mk. VI(e) - radio (an observation tank on Mark VI(e)’s chassis). Conversions were tested on the proving grounds at Beverlo in Belgium. In October 1941 the conversions were grouped in the 15th Artillery Battery of 227th Artillery Regiment of the 227th Infantry Division commanded by Becker, which was transferred to the Northern sector (Leningrad area) of the Eastern Front. In mid-1942 an additional 12 Mark VIs were converted to ammunition carriers designated as Munitionspanzer auf Fahrgestell Mk. VI(e).
The two-man Infantry Tank MU (All) Matilda I designated by the Germans as ‘Infanterie Panzerkampfwagen MlU 747(e)’ was reliable and well armoured, but it was also poorly armed and very slow. One hundred and thirty-nine Matilda Is were produced, 97 of which equipped two tank battalions of the BEF. The design was already obsolete by 1939 standards and the Germans made no use of any of captured Matilda Is, although it is possible that some had their turrets removed and used in the fortifications of the Atlantic Wall. Two examples were certainly tested at Kummersdorf in early 1941 but found wanting in almost every respect.
Of slightly more use was the four-man infantry tank Mark II (A 12), Matilda 11. This was supposedly an improved version of Matilda I, although in practice its design was completely different. The Matilda II was a very well armoured vehicle armed with a two-pounder (40mm) gun. Like the Matilda I, it was a slow but reliable vehicle. The BEF was equipped with 23 Matilda IIs and the Germans captured a few during the course of the campaign, including those abandoned and knocked out at Arras. Designated by the Germans as Infanterie Panzerkampfwagen Mk.ll 748(e). Two captured Matilda IIs were tested at Kummersdorf in early 1941 along with Matilda Is. A single Matilda II (turret number III) was used by the High Seas Instructional Command at Terneuzen in Holland for training purposes during the prelude to Operation Seelowe (Sealion). A Number of Matilda IIs had the turrets removed and the original guns were replaced by 50mm KwK 38 L/42 guns, which had formally equipped PzKpfw IIIs. The gun was protected by a large, wide shield; the vehicle also mounted two MG15 machine guns and anti-aircraft defence. Conversion was done by the High Seas Instructional Command workshop and was designated as ‘5cm KwK 1./42(M) auf Infanterie Panzerkampfwagen M II(e)’ or as ‘5cm KwK auf Matilda(e)’. Once removed, the turrets were used in the fortifications of the Atlantic Wall.
The BEF had 57 Mark IV cruiser tanks, almost all of which were captured by the Germans, who designated them as ‘Kreuzer Panzerkampfwagen Mk.lV 744(e)’. The Germans issued ten Mark IVs which were in service with the 2nd and 3rd platoon of the captured Panzer Company stationed in France in early 1941. Later on modified Mark IVs were transferred to Panzer Abteilung (Flamm) 100, which saw combat in the opening stage of the Operation Barbarossa in June and July 1941. Five tanks were scrapped for spare parts in order to keep those in service operational.