Join the Navy and See the World: 3. Durban, South Africa

This story is submitted to the People's War Website by David Thacker, a volunteer from BBC Radio Northampton, on behalf of his Mother, Isabella, wife of the late Len Thacker, and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands and accepts the site's terms and conditions.

Len continued his exploration of the Dark Continent calling at various ports in Gambia, Gold Coast and Nigeria, as well as The Azores but most time in port was at the Naval Base of Simon's Town in the Cape Province of South Africa where Len encountered, but did not need the services of, the famous Great Dane dog "Just Nuisance". For many years this dog, now immortalised in statue form in Simon's Town, travelled alone on the trains,retrieving sailors who were the worst for wear, and guiding them firmly back to their ship or base, thus earning pay and the honorary rank of A.B. Seaman - dog?
The R.N sailors were well looked after by the South African people and Len and messmate "Titch" Meddings were taken out for a meal in Durban by two Matronly ladies: Mrs Johnson and Mrs Bolthes.

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