The Frontier Light Horse, a mounted unit of 200 volunteers, was raised at King William's Town, Eastern Cape Colony in 1877 by Lieutenant Frederick Carrington.

[1] It is often referred to as the Cape Frontier Light Horse and served under Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Burmester Pulleine.

In July 1878 the unit of 276 officers and men marched from King William's Town to Pietermaritzburg and then to Sekhukhuneland for service there.

[2] Two members of the Frontier Light Horse, Captain Cecil D'Arcy and Sergeant Edmund O'Toole were awarded the Victoria Cross for their acts of valour in endeavouring to save the lives of soldiers during the reconnaissance made before the Battle of Ulundi on 3 July 1879.

[1] The name Frontier Light Horse was also applied to an Eastern Cape Province unit established in 1899 as the District Mounted Rifles.

The Zulus, armed with rifles and assegais, fought bard to prevent the British force reaching the top.

Cpl Ashby and his little party endeavoured to fight their way down, and at last he and a man named Andrew Gemmell, now living in New Zealand, were the only ones left.

They eventually reached the main camp, and for this service, as well as for saving the lives of two fellow-officers on the same occasion, Col. Buller received the Victoria Cross.