The South African
The text of this article comes from a little brochure published by the Board of Trustees of the Simon’s Town Museum in 1980.
1937 April 1 Born in Rondebosch. Bred by Mr M Bosman.
1938 March Sold to Mr & Mrs B J Chaney (Mowbray).
1938 July Mr Chaney became Manager of United Services Institute in Simon's Town.
Thus Sailors entered Just Nuisance's life when he was about 15 months old.
1939 February 27 Just Nuisance officially registered as 'Great Dane' under the name
'Pride of Rondebosch'. His sire was 'Koning' and his dam 'Diana'.
1939 March S A Kennel Union approved his registration.
1939 June 6 Nuisance volunteered his services to the Royal Navy (Simon's Town) and
on August 25 officially commenced his duties.
He was designated as a "Bone-crusher" .
His religious denomination: "Scrounger" - (later upgraded to: "Canine Divinity League, Anti-vivisectionist !!)
He was posted to HMS AFRIKANDER and was quartered at Froggy Pond having his own bunk; he also had a bed at his disposal in the Union Jack Club, Cape Town.
From the date of his joining, his numerous and varied activities began to make news wherever he went. He became a celebrity almost overnight - so much so that on May 3 1941 Leslie Steyn's article 'Just Nuisance - Able Seaman who leads a Dog's Life' appeared in The Cape Argus and was later published as a book.
1941 June 1 Just Nuisance was 'married' to Adinda at Hout Bay. She had travelled from Ermelo by train and in due course... August 7 ... 2 pups were born in Ermelo; it was decided to sell them by public auction, the proceeds to go to wartime funds.
“Wedding Day” Photograph
[Only the photograph appeared in the printed Journal - Ed]
October 6 Just Nuisance hospitalised after having been knocked over by a lorry.
October 9 Discharged from hospital.
October 5 Pups VICTOR and WILHELMINA arrived to an almost ticker-tape welcome at Cape Town Station. The auction took place in the Cape Town City Hall.
By now Just Nuisance had become an economic asset to the Royal Navy, since sales of the book by Steyn as well as postcards of him and the pups were contributing to war funds.
He was no angel as his 'Charge Sheet' shows. he was guilty of several misdeeds, such as travelling on the rail-ways without a ticket; sleeping on a bed in the Petty Officers’' dormitory at the Sailors and Soldiers' Club, Simon’s Town; going AWOL; losing his collar and resisting eviction from clubs at closing time. His most serious offences were fights with mascots of Royal Navy vessels:
On August 4 1942 He caused the death of the mascot of HMS Shropshire and in November 1943 he also caused the death of the mascot of HMS Redoubt.
But, all things considered, he was more than just a dog. He did much to boost the morale of all involved in fighting the war from the South Atlantic base
When it became known that following a motor accident and a subsequent thrombosis which paralysed him, Just Nuisance was ‘put to sleep ‘ on 1 April 1944.
There were many sorrowing sailors and others both military and civilian who attended his funeral at Klaver Camp which was accompanied by full military honours.
Able Seamen Just Nuisance
and Scotney
A granite gravestone now marks the place of his burial.
The inscription reads:
Following his death numerous tributes to his devotion to his sailor friends appeared in print, not only in South Africa but also in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Over the years articles have been compiled about him and printed in The Argus, The Cape Times, the Fish Hoek Echo, the Field, Time Magazine, the Daily Telegraph, Readers' Digest, Paratus, Living and Loving & Patrys.
Grave of Just Nuisance at Klaver Camp
(Ken Baker)
The photographs of Just Nuisance and his “bride” are by courtesy of the Simon’s Town Museum.
An exhibition on the life of Just Nuisance with photographs of him, his collar, his papers and Naval documents can be seen at the Simon's Town Museum.
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