[7] The New Zealand troops were poorly equipped and only issued with basic small arms and fragmentation vests, which given the threat level were totally inadequate for the task.

[9] Brigadier Charlie Lott, who served in Somalia before becoming Chief, Joint Defence Services,[10] recalls that the drive between the UNOSOM HQ in the university compound in Mogadishu itself and the airport was hair-raising.

It was common practice for the crew of New Zealand vehicles travelling between Mogadishu and the airport to have their Steyr on "instant", wedged between the front seats ‒ the driver with a Sig Sauer also on "instant", jammed into the door handle.Weapon discipline was very important as was a constant wariness of burning tyres, a Somali signal that there is "bad stuff" about to go down, come and join the fun.The New Zealanders, he said, worked long hours, often ten hours a day, seven days a week.

[12] Taniwha Hill was a self-contained location with heavily sandbagged tents providing the most austere accommodation, and a large mess tent/kitchen/recreation[13] area as the central point of the camp.

[14] Ablution facility's were basic with buckets for showers and dissected 44 gallon drums for toilets, which required the daily disposal by stirring and burning.