Conduct Unbecoming

the long version

Between June 7th and 17th, 1944, more than 150 Canadian soldiers were murdered after capture by troops of Nazi Germany's elite 12th SS Panzer Division 'Hitler Youth.' For the first time in a half-century, the full story of this sad chapter in Canadian history is told in gripping and moving detail. In the aftermath of the German retreat from Normandy, grim evidence of the fate of Canadian prisoners was uncovered. However, despite years of work by Allied and Canadian military investigators, only two senior officers of the 12th SS were ever tried for war crimes, while the remainder were allowed to return to Germany. In its explosive final chapters, Conduct Unbecoming reveals the causes of this flagrant inaction - an inept and indifferent Canadian military justice system, and a Canadian government all too willing to let bygones be bygones. A cautionary tale, Conduct Unbecoming will resonate with veterans, serving members of the armed forces, military historians, and students of history.