Learn about these records
Each record includes an image of the original enlistment ledgers held at The Tank Museum Archive & Reference Library. The amount of information listed varies, but the Royal Tank Corps Enlistment Records usually include a combination of the following information about your ancestor:
Service history
- Date of enlistment
- Details of previous service, including any First World War service
- Service number
- Campaigns fought in
- Medals awarded
- Date of discharge and reason for it
Biographical information
- Name
- Age
- Date and place of birth
- Place of residence
- Occupation
- Name and address of next of kin
- Marriage details
- Children’s names and dates of birth
- Over 88,000 soldiers are recorded
- No officers are included, these are other ranks soldiers
- The records cover men who enlisted between 1919 and 1934. The enlistments are either:
Transfers from the Dragoons, Hussars, Lancers or Machine Gun Corps
Direct enlistments
Re-enlistments
- 25% of these soldiers were already part of the British Army and details of previous service are included – the earliest enlistment we’ve found was in 1875
- Information about a soldier’s First World War or Boer War service is often included
- Discharges and dates soldiers were killed in action are sometimes also included – the latest we’ve found was in 1951
The Tank Museum Archive & Reference Library holds the original enlistment and transfers-in ledgers (Army Book 358) for the Royal Tank Corps.
The Royal Tank Corps was known as the Tank Corps before 18 October 1923. It was renamed again on 4 April 1939 and is now known as the Royal Tank Regiment