In 2007 Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd. uncovered the remains of Troop Horse B7, also known as “Dickie Bird” within the grounds of the Riding School building during archaeological excavations at Clancy Barracks, Dublin 8.
Dickie Bird served with the 5th Dragoons in the Crimean War from May 1854 to June 1856. He would have fought in the charge of the heavy brigade at Balaclava as well as many other skirmishes throughout the campaign. Battle would have not been the only danger to him as starvation and disease killed 178 of the 5th Dragoons horses during the war. Of the 250 horses which disembarked from Cobh with the regiment in 1854 he was one of only 40 horses (16%) that returned. Dickie Bird was the last horse which had served with the regiment in the Crimea to pass away, and as such became a symbol of the 5th Dragoons achievements there and was honoured in more than one fashion.
In 1870 a painting of him was commissioned, and after his death that same year his grave was marked by a wall-mounted plaque in the barracks. When cavalry horses died in service it was the custom to remove one of the fore-hooves as proof that they were dead. Dickie Bird’s hoof was transformed into something resembling a relic. The hoof was shoed and banded in silver and an engraved silver plaque attached, and is displayed in the Royal Dragoon Guards museum in York.
The burial itself also showed the esteem in which he was held; most horses were sent to the knackers yard as opposed to being afforded a formal burial. Dickie Bird was buried in a 3m squared grave, 2.5m below the ground surface. Part of his tack (bridle and reins) was buried with him. He had been buried nose-to-tail with a female horse of similar age but whose name and troop number is unknown. Analysis of the skeletons has revealed that they were both killed in an identical manner, with a shot or strike behind the right ear. A search of the 5th Dragoon Muster Records for 1870, held at the National Archives in Kew, London, found that Troop Horse B7 was shot on 21st November 1870.
Dickie Bird’s tack was sent to ArchCon Labs for conservation. While buried, the leather and metal components of the bridle and reins had adhered together, so they had to be cleaned and was separated into 5 pieces. The leather was stabilised first, by impregnating it with chemicals that would not further corrode the metal, before it was freeze-dried. After the leather was freeze-dried the metal was carefully cleaned to remove all the corrosion. During treatment markings were found on the leather (usually close to the buckles) confirming that the tack belonged to Dickie Bird. These included the dates 1847, 1850, and markers BD and 7H (Dickie Bird’s Troop number).
