The Wild History Of War

When A Dog Was Officially Enlisted In The South African Navy

The Wild History Of War

Show Notes

During World War II, the sailors at Simon’s Town Naval Base gained an unlikely new recruit: a giant Great Dane named Just Nuisance.

After repeatedly sneaking onto trains to follow his sailor friends into Cape Town, the Navy solved the problem by officially enlisting him, giving him a rank and the right to free rail travel.

From attending parades and breaking up fights to escorting drunken sailors home, Just Nuisance became a beloved wartime mascot and one of South Africa’s most unusual military legends.

This is the funny, heartwarming story of the only dog ever officially enlisted in the Royal Navy.

Hosted by history teacher turned podcaster, Nick Charlie Key (host of The Fantastic History of Food).

New episodes release EVERY TWO WEEKS!.

Support the show on Patreon Bonus episodes, early access, and helping keep the podcast independent: 👉 https://patreon.com/wildhistoryofwar

Explore the show 👉 https://wildhistoryofwar.com

Contact: [email protected]

More from The Wild History Of War

Oct 16, 2026

At its very core, war is essentially throwing everything you have at your enemy and hoping that they break first. And at times, that breaking point can be as much a psychological one as a physical one.

Oct 2, 2026

Many people have heard some pretty bizarre tales from World War 2 history, but few come close to matching this one for its scale, scope and sheer absurdity.

Sep 18, 2026

War often calls for quick thinking and unconventional tactics, but few battles have ever been won with… potatoes. But, during World War II, the USS O’Bannon, a U.S. Navy destroyer, found itself in a tense standoff with a Japanese submarine. With the enemy dangerously close, too near in fact for their deck guns to be effective, the crew resorted to a rather unexpected weapon.

Sep 4, 2026

In 1788, the Austrian army marched toward Karansebes expecting to fight the Ottoman Empire.

Aug 21, 2026

In one of the most ill-advised military ideas of the American Civil War, some poor donkeys were turned into self-guided ballistic missiles.

See all episodes →