This form is an updated version of WO 497 and, in this case at least, dates to 1878. I suspect that it was introduced in this year as the code at the top left hand corner has a jumbled "1878" as the last four digits.
This particular form was printed in a run of 12,000 by Ford and Tilt Ltd and appears to have been used principally for cavalry enlistments. The term of enlistment is stated as eight years with the colours and four years on the reserve.
