Just Nuisance

Here's a story which has not yet made it into the collections of truths, stories, lies and tales that is Wikipedia.

Atop the mountain overlooking Simonstown is the grave of Able Seaman Just Nuisance, R.N. Unlike most seamen he is, or was, a dog. A Great Dane. He would enjoy laying on the gangplanks of the naval vessels at the yard there. Great Danes are, well, huge, and it was hard to get past him. Sailors said he was just a nuisance, from which came his name. The sailors took a liking to him, and him to them. He would follow them at times onto the train taking them into town for a bit of leave. The conductors didn't like the pooch getting a free ride and would kick him off. They wanted the owner to pay for a season ticket. The Navy figured a way around that. The induced Just Nuisance into the Royal Navy, first as Ordinary Seaman and then promoted to Able Seaman. As a volunteer during the War such he had a free pass to the trains. When he died at age 7, for Great Danes don't live long, he was laid to rest atop the mountain overlooking Simonstown.

You can drive to the top up a winding road, or take a steep road from down about 1/2 of the way up. From there take the stairs up and up and up. It's perhaps 15 minutes but we stopped several times so I could look at the frigates and the submarines and the sight of the military harbor and sailing club.

Thanks to Mariana for telling me the story and taking me there. See http://www.simonstown.com/tourism/nuisance/nuisance.htm for more details.