Chapters 12 to 14 provide a narrative account of the Somalia mission - it begins with the deteriorating situation in Somalia in 1992 and ends with the Government's decision to curtail the proceedings of the Inquiry in January 1997. Based on the testimony and documentation available to us, it provides as complete and balanced an account as possible of what actually happened as the basis for a full analysis of the issues we were charged specifically to investigate.

The narrative is divided into the three phases specified in our terms of reference, encompassing pre-deployment, in-theatre and post-deployment events. Accordingly, Chapter 12 (Pre-Deployment) recounts the initial decision to become involved in the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM), the preparations and mission planning that took place, and the factors involved in the declaration of the CAR's operational readiness. Chapter 13 (In-Theatre) provides an account of the events in Somalia from the first arrival of Canadian troops, the early stages of their operations, the incidents of March 4th and 16th, their alleged cover-up, and the return of the Canadian Airborne Regiment Battle Group to Canada. Chapter 14 (Post-Deployment) summarizes the subsequent courts martial, the de Faye board of inquiry, the creation of the Somalia Working Group within DND, and the events that occurred during the Inquiry, culminating in the decision by the Minister of National Defence to curtail the proceedings of the Inquiry.