Enrolment Forms, Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902

[ReadyDale]

Is anyone familiar with the details of a record set that was yesterday added to FindMyPast:-
"British Army, Local Armed Forces' Enrolment Forms, Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902"

A couple of specific questions:
If I visit TNA and view this record set, how likely am I to see things that are not shown in the FindMyPast transcriptions? i.e. the particular record I am interested in says that the person is 29, but there is no date for the record so I can't make a judgement on likelihood of this being the correct person.
Secondly, what do these "Enrolment Forms" represent. I have Attestation Papers for my GGF saying that (depending on the date mentioned above) he is likely to have already been in South Africa at the time. Could the Enrolment Form be related to a change of unit whilst out there?
Am asking as the NoK info given could unlock a long-term mystery surrounding him, but I am worried I am adding two and two and making six.
Any advice gratefully received.

[Andy J2022]

As the FindMyPast explanatory notes say:
" You can typically expect to find the following information:
    Name of unit
    Regimental number
    Name
    Religion
    Age
    Nationality
    Trade
    Height
    Weight
    Chest Measurement
    Complexion
    Eye colour
    Hair colour
    Distinctive marks
    Date of joining
    Place of joining
    Next of kin
    Home address
    Marital status"

I can't think of anything else which might be included in the records at TNA that FindMyPast won't have transcribed. However having done a quick skim through some of the transcriptions on FindMyPast, many of the records have much less detail. I assume this is because the original documents don't have the detail either.

[ReadyDale]

Yes, I have read the synopsis. I believe what is (formally) included depends on which forms were used. Unfortunately, my man has less of those fields than I would hope (no description fields, etc). As mentioned, although it has his age, there is no indication of when the form was completed, so it gives a window of three years (based on the collection title). I wondered if that might fall outside the fields captured, but also whether there may be other "margin notes" (as there are on things such as the attestation forms) which may be enough to prove or disprove that this is who I hope it may be.

But also, I was hoping someone may be able to explain how these Enrolment Forms fall in to the scheme of things. Can someone already in SA appear on these because he is changing units, etc, so just because he is within his period of service, he could possibly still appear in these records of units apparently raised in SA.

[Andy J2022]

The forms actually cover the period 1899 to 1905, although the bulk on the enlistments are in the years 1899-1902.  The figures are confusing. Taking all the amounts by year, the total comes to 106,912, but the description of the FindMyPast set says there are just 64,134 records, so I assume that quite a few men have more than one form, perhaps due to transfers or re-enlistments between units.
Since you have a possible unit for your ggf it makes a trip to TNA slightly more worthwhile, as there are 167 ifiles in the WO 126 series, based on the units, and each files will contain dozens if not hundreds of forms which I suspect won't be in alphabetical order.

[Andy J2022]

Have you already checked on TNA to see which file/files in the WO 126 series you would need to call up for your ggf's possible unit?

[ReadyDale]

Have you already checked on TNA to see which file/files in the WO 126 series you would need to call up for your ggf's possible unit?

No, not yet. Just trying to get my head around what these are, and whether it is possible that he would appear on one of these. He was in SA from Dec 1899 to Sep 1902, in the middle of his 12 years signed up. He primarily went over with The Buffs (East Kent), but I have previously seen a record to say he spent some time in the Scottish Horse, and it is for the latter that "he" (I hope) appears here. Hence why I wanted to know if a change of unit would trigger one of these forms.
Also why ANY fields, including any "margin notes" might just provide an answer either way.

There are a lot of other pointers, but nothing conclusive. And to suddenly see this last night was a surprise. It would certainly blow the brick wall wide open if it is him, and explain why I couldn't find him previously - his NoK is his mum and she had a different surname (and would mean he did too when he was born - no idea where the surname we all knew him, my GF and my mum, would have come from though.

[ReadyDale]

Have you already checked on TNA to see which file/files in the WO 126 series you would need to call up for your ggf's possible unit?

Thanks again Andy for your knowledge on this. I have now found the reference within WO126 for the correct unit. I also saw reference regarding the Scottish Horse to WO127, which looks to be "Nominal Rolls". Are these what they sound like? Are you familiar with what sort of info may be held there?
Now I have the details, I just need to arrange a visit to Kew 

BTW, from other things that this has triggered I have confirmed he IS the correct man, i.e. my GGF. There is another transcription on FindMyPast that contains both his number for this temporary placement in the Scottish Horse, and his original number in his parent unit The East Kent (Buffs). Thus tying things together.
Therefore the NoK mentioned in his original Buffs' Attestation papers in 1898 ("mother - Emma Mary Crook") and that mentioned on this transcribed Scottish Horse c.1900 ("Mother - Emma Chenery") are one and the same. On the back of that, I purchased the birth cert for Charles Chenery born in the right sort of time period. Sure enough the DoB tallied with all other sources.
Quite where the name Crook has come from is anybody's guess at the moment, but I'll work on that.
But it goes to show - never give up - I have been looking for his birth (albeit under the name Crook) for many, many years.
As Moulder and Scully used to say "The Truth Is Out There"