Despite an enormous group of knowledgeable enthusiasts who devote their time and expertise to the study of the Zulu War, research into the biographies and memorials of the veterans who fought in the 1879 campaign remained very much an untapped source.
True, the defenders of Rorke's Drift and the Victoria Cross winners were receiving some attention, but the bulk of those involved were largely ignored, and as a result a fascinating opportunity for original research presented itself.

Many years ago, on the way to a study group meeting, a stop was arranged to locate the burial of one such officer in a nearby cemetery, resulting in a somewhat dishevelled and muddy late arrival, to be greeted with the immortal welcome ' Thank God, the Keynsham Light Horse has finally made it!'.

The name - a pun on the title of a famed colonial unit - stuck, the joke grew, and the KLH has been in existence ever since spending large amounts of time in scouring available sources, amassing leads and collating information to be used on one of the regular field trips.
The tours generally take place around Easter and early November, last for around a week and concentrate the search in a selected area of the country. The work and travel necessary to locate the graves and memorials is hard, demanding and tiring, always working against time and failing light, but this is more than offset by the tremendous amount of fun generated by the team.
Membership of the KLH is by invitation only, entirely arbitrary, and usually restricted to those who have aided and abetted us in various ways.

The youngest to be co-opted onto the team was Alex Knight, who earned the rank of Trooper at the age of just four months when he joined us on a tour at Rochester.
Promotions are rare and commissions extremely so, these only being awarded for participation in a full road trip during which the candidate must discover a previously unknown casualty memorial.

The aims of the Keynsham Light Horse remain the same, to research biographies and to find and record the last resting-places and remembrances of those who were involved with the war of 1879.

Our files are always open to anyone who has an interest, and if there is a particular participant on whom you would like further information do contact us.

Likewise, many of our leads are scattered throughout the world - you may be able to help us!