page_title: Matilda II
section_title: Captured use
hierarchical_section_title: Matilda II / Combat history / Captured use
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Bei den Soldaten des Deutschen Afrika-Korps Ein erbeuteter englischer Tank, von Truppen des deutschen Afrikakorps wieder flottgemacht, rollt mit wehender Fahne über eine Wüstenstrasse im Kampfgebiet von Tobruk.
context_page_description: The Infantry Tank Mark II, best known as the Matilda, was a British infantry tank of the Second World War.
  The design began as the A12 specification in 1936, as a gun-armed counterpart to the first British infantry tank, the machine gun armed, two-man A11 Infantry Tank Mark I. The Mark I was also known as Matilda, and the larger A12 was initially known as the Matilda II or Matilda senior. The Mark I was abandoned in 1940, and from then on the A12 was almost always known simply as "the Matilda".
  With its heavy armour, the Matilda II was an excellent infantry support tank but with somewhat limited speed and armament. It was the only British tank to serve from the start of the war to its end, although it is particularly associated with the North Africa Campaign. It was replaced in front-line service by the lighter and less costly Infantry Tank Mk III Valentine beginning in late 1941.
context_section_description: Following Operation Battleaxe a dozen Matildas left behind the Axis lines were repaired and put into service by the Germans. Several vehicles were transported to Kummersdorf where they were evaluated, including trials by live fire. The German designation was Infanterie Panzerkampfwagen Mk.II 748(e) translating roughly as "Infantry Tank Mk.II Number 748 English". The Matildas were well-regarded by their German users although their use in battle caused confusion to both sides, despite extra-prominent German markings.
caption: Captured Matilda tank, summer 1942
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