 Just Nuisance was entitled to the same benefits as any other Able Seaman, which included a cap. Here he sports a cap fromHMAS Canberra, in one of many promotional photos taken during World War II. | |
| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | Great Dane |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | (1937-04-01)1 April 1937 Rondebosch,Cape Town |
| Died | 1 April 1944(1944-04-01) (aged 7) Simon's Town Naval Hospital,Simon's Town |
| Resting place | Klaver Camp,Simon's Town |
| Nation from | South Africa |
| Occupation | Able seaman |
| Employer | Royal Navy |
Just Nuisance (1 April 1937 – 1 April 1944) was a South African dog and the only dog ever to be officially enlisted in theRoyal Navy. He was aGreat Dane who between 1939 and 1944 served at HMSAfrikander, a Royal Navy shore establishment inSimon's Town,South Africa. He died in 1944 at the age of seven years and was buried with full military honours.
Although the exact date of Just Nuisance's birth is not known, it is usually stated that he was born on 1 April 1937 inRondebosch, a suburb ofCape Town. He was sold to Benjamin Chaney, who later moved to Simon's Town to run theUnited Services Institute (USI). Just Nuisance quickly became popular with the patrons of the institute and in particular theratings, who would feed him snacks and take him for walks. He began to follow them back to the naval base and dockyards, where he would lie on the decks of ships that were moored at the wharf. His preferred resting place was the top of thegangplank.
Since he was a large dog even for a Great Dane (he was almost 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall when standing on his hind legs), he presented a sizeable obstacle for those trying to board or disembark and he became affectionately known as Nuisance.
Nuisance was allowed to roam freely and, following the sailors, he began to take day trips by train as far afield as Cape Town, 22 miles (35 km) away. Despite the seamen's attempts to conceal him, theconductors would put him off the trains as soon as he was discovered. This did not cause the dog any difficulty, as he would wait for the next train, or walk to another station, where he would board the next train that came along.
Amused travellers would occasionally offer to pay his fare but officials of the state-owned railway company (South African Railways and Harbours) eventually warned Chaney that Nuisance would have to beput down unless he was prevented from boarding the trains or had his fares paid.
The news that Nuisance was in danger of being put down spurred many of the sailors and locals to write to the Navy, pleading for something to be done. Although somebody offered to buy him a season ticket, naval command instead decided to enlist him by the book. As a member of the armed forces, he would be entitled to free rail travel, so the fare-dodging would no longer be a problem. For the next few years he would be a morale booster for the troops serving inWorld War II.
He was enlisted on 25 August 1939. Hissurname was entered as "Nuisance" and, rather than leaving theforename blank, he was given the moniker "Just". His trade was listed as "Bonecrusher" and his religious affiliation as "Scrounger", although this was later altered to the more charitable "Canine Divinity League (Anti-Vivisection)". To allow him to receive rations and because of his longstanding unofficial service, he was promoted fromOrdinary seaman toAble seaman.
He never went to sea but fulfilled a number of roles ashore. He continued to accompany sailors on train journeys and escorted them back to base when the pubs closed. While many of his functions were of his own choosing, he also appeared at many promotional events, including his own 'wedding' to another Great Dane, Adinda. Adinda produced five pups as a result, two of which, named Victor and Wilhelmina, were auctioned off in Cape Town to raise funds for thewar effort.
Nuisance's service record was not exemplary. Aside from the offences of travelling on the trains without his free pass, being absent without leave, losing his collar and refusing to leave the pub at closing time, his record shows that he was sentenced to having all bones removed for seven days for sleeping in an improper place – to wit, the bed of one of thepetty officers. He also fought with the mascots of ships that put in atSimon's Town, resulting in the deaths of at least two of them.
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Nuisance was at some point involved in a car accident. This causedthrombosis, which gradually paralysed him, so on 1 January 1944 he was discharged from the Navy. His condition continued to deteriorate, and on 1 April 1944 he was taken to Simon's Town Naval Hospital where, on the advice of the naval veterinary surgeon, he was put down.
The next day he was taken to Klawer Camp, where his body was draped with aRoyal Naval White Ensign and he was buried with full naval honours, including agun salute and the playing of the "Last Post". A simple granite headstone marks his grave, which is on the top of the hill at Klawer, at the former SA Navy Signal School.A statue was erected in Jubilee Square in Simon's Town to commemorate his life.
TheSimon's Town Museum has an exhibition dedicated to his story, and since 2000 there has been an annual parade of Great Danes from which a lookalike is selected.
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