| Description | Registers of varying formats which list the Regimental or Army service number, rank and name of those enlisting or transferring into the Regiment, or those becoming non-effective due to death, desertion or non-pensionable discharge, and the date that this took place. The more complex registers also include personal statistics, details of family, and service history.
The most complete set of information is found in the earlier version of Army Book 358 (Attestation Registers 578-K/1/4/1/5 - /9; Registers of Transfer Over no.1 and Under no.1 578-K/1/4/1/28 - /29). When fully completed, these state whether enlistment is in the regular, militia, special reserve or territorial forces; age on attestation; place of attestation or transfer; if transfer, to or from which regiment and date; parish, town and county of birth (these columns usually changed to 'period of mobilised or embodied service' and parish/town); full name and nationality of wife; name of each child; place and date of marriage and of birth of each child; campaigns, wounds, medals or rewards; date, place and cause of discharge or becoming non-effective; rank, character and address on discharge; rate of pension awarded; particulars of former service. The later version of Army Book 358 (Registers of Soldiers 578-K/1/4/1/13 - /27; Registers of Transfer, Under nos.2-6 578-K/1/4/1/30 - /34) only states the army number, name, transfers to other corps or cause of becoming non-effective, and the date. Both versions of AB358 have columns for 'remarks' such as former regimental numbers or if killed in action. These can have entries dated several years after the enlistment, for example, dates of re-enlistment, transfers in and out, and discharge date. They also have an alphabetical index at the rear which gives surname, number and page number.
The dates of enlistment or attestation are the original dates which are not necessarily recorded in chronological order. This is because either the information was compiled centrally from several sources; or the individual was re-enlisting or transferring in; or because a new style seven-digit Army number was being issued to replace a Regimental number. In 1920, the York and Lancaster Regiment was block allocated Army numbers 4736001 to 4792000. Men kept these Army number throughout their career, leading to transfers in to the Regiment being recorded as 'Unders' (those with numbers under 4736001) or 'Overs' (those with numbers over 4792000). |