British Cavalry and the Relief of Ladysmith

Out of the 18-20,000 men under General Sir Redvers Buller's command in the campaign to relieve Ladysmith there were only two and a half regiments of regular British cavalry; 13th Hussars, 14th Hussars and the 1st Dragoons. Additionally there were very small drafts (less than 30 men each) from the cavalry regiments trapped in Ladysmith; 5th Lancers, 5th Dragoon Guards, 18th Hussars and 19th Hussars.

Yet a total of 16 other regular cavalry regiments were represented in the campaign, all very small detachments numbering from 1 up to 8. Their participation was rewarded with two possible clasps; Relief of Ladysmith and Tugela Heights. The Tugela Heights clasp is less common, men could have been sick or found other duties as the campaign wore on.

Regiment	RoL	Officers	ORs		TH	Officers	ORs
10th Hussars	4	1	3		4	1	3
11th Hussars	2	1	1		2	1	1
12th Lancers	4	1	3		4	1	3
16th Lancers	4	2	2		4	2	2
1st Dragoon Guards	8	4	4		7	3	4
1st Life Guards	8	2	6		2	1	1
21st Lancers	3	2	1		3	2	1
2nd Dragoons	3	0	3		2	0	2
2nd Life Guards	7	1	6		4	1	3
3rd Dragoon Guards	1	1	0		1	1	0
4th Hussars	2	2	0		2	2	0
6th Dragoon Guards	1	1	0		1	1	0
7th Dragoon Guards	7	3	4		4	2	2
7th Hussars	4	2	2		3	2	1
8th Hussars	2	1	1		3	1	2
Royal Horse Guards (The Blues)	8	2	6		5	2	3
	68	26	42		51	23	28

Most of the officers would have been on Buller's Staff, the other ranks would have been signallers, servants or attached to colonial units. See this blog for a detailed analysis of the 1st Life Guards detachment.

Additionally two volunteer cavalry units were represented. Colonel Baron Gerard along with two privates from the Lancashire Hussars served on Buller's Staff and Lt FW Jarvis of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars was attached to the 13th Hussars.