Roman Jarymowycz
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Roman Jarymowycz, OMM
, CD
, Ph.D. is a decorated Canadian soldier and military educator. He is also a student of Canadian military history and has made important contributions to the contemporary debate about Canada
and the Normandy
campaign in World War II
.
and is a member of the Byzantine Catholic Church. He recently retired from his teaching career of over 30 years at St. Thomas High School in Pointe Claire, Quebec. His primary subjects were Canadian History and Social Studies, and he also coached the high school's championship-winning debating and public-speaking team. Additionally, and without the benefit of ever having played a game of the sport, he was an assistant rugby coach.
He is married to former teaching colleague Sandra Jarymowycz (née d'Apollonia, subsequently Pasquale). Both had been married once before, and Jarymowycz has a stepson. Their union has produced no issue, but he does have two half-brothers, Bohdan Kostjuk and Alexander Kostjuk.
Presently Jarymowycz is a sessional lecturer at the Royal Military College
and is a frequent writer of letters to the editor.
He was also a cartoonist of some skill and humour, having had work regularly appear in the old Canadian Forces magazine Sentinel.
in 1964 in the Canadian Officers’ Training Corps. Eventually he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Hussars armoured reconnaissance regiment during the late 1970s and early 1980s. A dedicated Cold Warrior, he served in Europe several times on NATO exercises.
After the Hussars he served as a Senior Staff Officer (Armoured) for Land Force Quebec Area
Headquarters. Perhaps his most important appointment came in 1982 when he became an instructor for the Militia Command Staff Course at the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College
at CFB Kingston
. He was an instructor for over 15 years and in 1994 was made Dean of the Course. While this recognition is mostly ceremonial, it was a tribute to the great contribution he made to Canadian military education. His trenchant analysis and animated classroom lectures placed him at the head of the faculty, of which he was later Director.
He has been twice decorated, with the Canadian Forces Decoration
(CD) for long service and the Order of Military Merit (Canada)
(OMM) on June 29, 2001. Quoting the notice from the Governor General of Canada
:
(of Montreal
) with a BA in the late 1960s. He received his Master's degree from Concordia University and in the 1990s returned to McGill University
. Under the direction of noted Canadian military historian Desmond Morton
, he received his PhD in 1997.
His first book, Tank tactics: from Normandy to Lorraine was based his McGill thesis ("The quest for operational manoeuvre in the Normandy campaign : Simonds and Montgomery attempt the armoured breakout.") The book is a stimuating analysis of the development of Canadian armoured operations and tactics, with comparisons to American tank operational theory and Soviet "deep battle
" strategy. His chapter on the effectiveness of the German Tiger
tank in Normandy, while essentially being a separate essay, is a fine example of superior scholarship.
While generally well received, the book is not without its critics. Major Michael McNorgan, writing in the Canadian Military Journal
, found it "an interesting book that must be read and interpreted with care." Major (ret’d) R.H. Caldwell, writing in The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin, likened the book to more of a case study, and suggested that while it presented much new primary source information, this was done selectively. Both reviews noted many minor errors.
Jarymowycz’s book and thesis address (not unlike Terry Copp’s work) the conclusions of eminent Canadian historians C. P. Stacey
and John English
. They argue that the Canadian Army, in Normandy in World War II (and for Jarymowycz, especially the Canadian Armoured Corps) was not as good as the German Army, and certainly did not match the reputation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
in World War I
, which was widely regarded as an elite force. One of Jarymowycz’s main conclusions, that “The most successful Canadian armoured tradition is the squadron attack. Canadian Armoured doctrine evolved in battle” serves two purposes. It indicates that failure rests at higher levels of command, where Canadian leadership was inadequate to the task of operational manoeuvre, and that lower (tactical) levels of command Canadian armour performed with bravery and determination that had no match. Unfortunately, the high rate of tank casualties was evidence of both valour and the grave danger of battlefield learning. This conclusion is not fully convincing, though, due to the weak comparative analysis. The development of American tank doctrine is adequately covered, but the side argument about Soviet "glubokii boi
" is not fully developed. Finally, no matter of revisionism, indeed, not even the eventual victory, can excuse the bottom line, which is unsuccessful operations and terribly high casualty rates.
Additionally, Jarymowycz was part of a lively debate in the pages of The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin. His position was that auftragstaktik [mission oriented tactics] and manoeuvre warfare might not be the best doctrinal choices for the Canadian Army.
Jarymowycz's contributions to the re-evaluation (and rehabilitation) of the Canadian Army and Armoured Corps in World War II puts him in good company. He is in the van of a dynamic debate, which includes work by Terry Copp
, Brian Reid
and Donald Graves
.
His second book, The Warhorse - Hoof to Track – The quest for mobility, was published in December 2007 by Greenwood Publishing.
television productions.
The first was Brian McKenna
's much maligned 1992 docu-drama The Valour and the Horror
. Jarymowycz appeared in the third instalment, In Desperate Battle: Normandy 1944, and provided critical analysis of the Canadian Army's disaster at the Battle of Verrières Ridge
.
He has recently appeared in McKenna's 2007 CBC Television
documentary The Great War. Jarymowycz puts in a far less critical performance in this non-controversial program.
Order of Military Merit (Canada)
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
, Ph.D. is a decorated Canadian soldier and military educator. He is also a student of Canadian military history and has made important contributions to the contemporary debate about Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
campaign in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Background
Roman Johann Jarymowycz, born January 18, 1945 in Vienna, Austria, and of Ukrainian heritage, is a naturalized Canadian citizen. He has since become a life-long resident of the island of MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and is a member of the Byzantine Catholic Church. He recently retired from his teaching career of over 30 years at St. Thomas High School in Pointe Claire, Quebec. His primary subjects were Canadian History and Social Studies, and he also coached the high school's championship-winning debating and public-speaking team. Additionally, and without the benefit of ever having played a game of the sport, he was an assistant rugby coach.
He is married to former teaching colleague Sandra Jarymowycz (née d'Apollonia, subsequently Pasquale). Both had been married once before, and Jarymowycz has a stepson. Their union has produced no issue, but he does have two half-brothers, Bohdan Kostjuk and Alexander Kostjuk.
Presently Jarymowycz is a sessional lecturer at the Royal Military College
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
and is a frequent writer of letters to the editor.
He was also a cartoonist of some skill and humour, having had work regularly appear in the old Canadian Forces magazine Sentinel.
Military career
Jarymowycz began his military career as a student at Loyola CollegeLoyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
in 1964 in the Canadian Officers’ Training Corps. Eventually he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Hussars armoured reconnaissance regiment during the late 1970s and early 1980s. A dedicated Cold Warrior, he served in Europe several times on NATO exercises.
After the Hussars he served as a Senior Staff Officer (Armoured) for Land Force Quebec Area
Land Force Quebec Area
Land Force Quebec Area is responsible for all Canadian army operations and administration in the region within the province of Quebec. LFQA is headquartered in Montreal.- Regular Force :* Land Force Quebec Area Training Centre - Courcelette...
Headquarters. Perhaps his most important appointment came in 1982 when he became an instructor for the Militia Command Staff Course at the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College
Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College
The Canadian Army Command and Staff College , formerly the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, is a school for officers of the Canadian Forces, specializing in staff and army operations courses...
at CFB Kingston
CFB Kingston
Canadian Forces Base Kingston is a Canadian Forces Base located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.CFB Kingston is home to the Communications and Electronics Branch of the Canadian Forces. The base also hosts the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics...
. He was an instructor for over 15 years and in 1994 was made Dean of the Course. While this recognition is mostly ceremonial, it was a tribute to the great contribution he made to Canadian military education. His trenchant analysis and animated classroom lectures placed him at the head of the faculty, of which he was later Director.
He has been twice decorated, with the Canadian Forces Decoration
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(CD) for long service and the Order of Military Merit (Canada)
Order of Military Merit (Canada)
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
(OMM) on June 29, 2001. Quoting the notice from the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
:
"During the last 15 years as an instructor, leading to the position of Dean of the Militia Command and Staff Course, Lieutenant-Colonel Jarymowycz has had a profoundly positive impact on the quality of senior Militia officer training in the Canadian Forces. He has 34 years of service in the Forces."
Academic career
Jarymowycz graduated from Loyola CollegeLoyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
(of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
) with a BA in the late 1960s. He received his Master's degree from Concordia University and in the 1990s returned to McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. Under the direction of noted Canadian military historian Desmond Morton
Desmond Morton (historian)
Desmond Dillon Paul Morton, OC, FRSC, CD is a Canadian historian who specializes in the history of the Canadian military, as well as the history of Canadian political and industrial relations....
, he received his PhD in 1997.
His first book, Tank tactics: from Normandy to Lorraine was based his McGill thesis ("The quest for operational manoeuvre in the Normandy campaign : Simonds and Montgomery attempt the armoured breakout.") The book is a stimuating analysis of the development of Canadian armoured operations and tactics, with comparisons to American tank operational theory and Soviet "deep battle
Deep operations
Deep battle was a military theory developed by the Soviet Union for its armed forces during the 1920s and 1930s. It was developed by a number of influential military writers, such as Vladimir Triandafillov and Mikhail Tukhachevsky who endeavoured to create a military strategy with its own...
" strategy. His chapter on the effectiveness of the German Tiger
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
tank in Normandy, while essentially being a separate essay, is a fine example of superior scholarship.
While generally well received, the book is not without its critics. Major Michael McNorgan, writing in the Canadian Military Journal
Canadian Military Journal
The Canadian Military Journal is the official quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal of the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence. It is printed in both official languages in electronic and paper print....
, found it "an interesting book that must be read and interpreted with care." Major (ret’d) R.H. Caldwell, writing in The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin, likened the book to more of a case study, and suggested that while it presented much new primary source information, this was done selectively. Both reviews noted many minor errors.
Jarymowycz’s book and thesis address (not unlike Terry Copp’s work) the conclusions of eminent Canadian historians C. P. Stacey
C. P. Stacey
Colonel Charles Perry Stacey, OC, OBE, CD, FRSC was a Canadian historian and university professor. He was the official historian of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, and has been published extensively on matters both military and political.-Early life, education:Stacey was born in...
and John English
John A. English
Lt.Col.-Dr. John A. English retired from the Canadian army with 37 years service in 1993. He first joined the King’s Own Calgary Regiment and from 1962 served in the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada until 1970 when he rebadged to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry...
. They argue that the Canadian Army, in Normandy in World War II (and for Jarymowycz, especially the Canadian Armoured Corps) was not as good as the German Army, and certainly did not match the reputation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, which was widely regarded as an elite force. One of Jarymowycz’s main conclusions, that “The most successful Canadian armoured tradition is the squadron attack. Canadian Armoured doctrine evolved in battle” serves two purposes. It indicates that failure rests at higher levels of command, where Canadian leadership was inadequate to the task of operational manoeuvre, and that lower (tactical) levels of command Canadian armour performed with bravery and determination that had no match. Unfortunately, the high rate of tank casualties was evidence of both valour and the grave danger of battlefield learning. This conclusion is not fully convincing, though, due to the weak comparative analysis. The development of American tank doctrine is adequately covered, but the side argument about Soviet "glubokii boi
Deep operations
Deep battle was a military theory developed by the Soviet Union for its armed forces during the 1920s and 1930s. It was developed by a number of influential military writers, such as Vladimir Triandafillov and Mikhail Tukhachevsky who endeavoured to create a military strategy with its own...
" is not fully developed. Finally, no matter of revisionism, indeed, not even the eventual victory, can excuse the bottom line, which is unsuccessful operations and terribly high casualty rates.
Additionally, Jarymowycz was part of a lively debate in the pages of The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin. His position was that auftragstaktik [mission oriented tactics] and manoeuvre warfare might not be the best doctrinal choices for the Canadian Army.
Jarymowycz's contributions to the re-evaluation (and rehabilitation) of the Canadian Army and Armoured Corps in World War II puts him in good company. He is in the van of a dynamic debate, which includes work by Terry Copp
Terry Copp
Terry Copp is a Canadian military historian and Professor Emeritus at Wilfrid Laurier University and is Director of the Laurier Centre for Military and Strategic Disarmament Studies....
, Brian Reid
Brian Reid (historian)
Brian A. Reid was born in Fort Erie, Ontario and presently resides in Ottawa, Ontario. He was a Canadian soldier and is a military historian.-Biography:...
and Donald Graves
Donald Graves
Donald Graves is a writer and historian specializing in Canadian military history.Educated at University of Saskatchewan, he has worked as a historian for the National Historic Sites Service, the National Archives of Canada and the Canadian Forces. He is currently the Managing Director of the...
.
His second book, The Warhorse - Hoof to Track – The quest for mobility, was published in December 2007 by Greenwood Publishing.
Television
Jarymowycz has appeared in two high profile Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
television productions.
The first was Brian McKenna
Brian McKenna
Brian McKenna is an award winning Canadian documentary filmmaker.He has been a frequent collaborator with his brother Terence McKenna, also an award winning filmmaker, in particular on The Valour and the Horror, a film about strategic bombing during World War 2.-References:...
's much maligned 1992 docu-drama The Valour and the Horror
The Valour and the Horror
The Valour and the Horror was a Canadian television documentary miniseries, which aired on CBC Television in 1992. It was a co-production between the CBC. the National Film Board of Canada and Galafilm Inc. The films were also broadcast by Radio-Canada, the French network of the CBC...
. Jarymowycz appeared in the third instalment, In Desperate Battle: Normandy 1944, and provided critical analysis of the Canadian Army's disaster at the Battle of Verrières Ridge
Battle of Verrières Ridge
The Battle of Verrières Ridge was a series of engagements fought as part of the Battle of Normandy, in western France, during the Second World War. The main combatants were two Canadian infantry divisions—with additional support from the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade—against elements of three...
.
He has recently appeared in McKenna's 2007 CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
documentary The Great War. Jarymowycz puts in a far less critical performance in this non-controversial program.