Children Charmian & Melanie Role Politician Allegiance United Kingdom Party Conservative Party | Service/branch Royal Navy Succeeded by Ted Leadbitter Name John Kerans Resigned 1964 | |
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Born 30 June 1915 Parsonstown (Birr), County Offaly, Ireland Resting place St Peter Churchyard, Tandridge, Surrey Spouse(s) 1946 – Stephanie Campbell Shires (1917–2008) Parent(s) Edward Thomas John Kerans (1880–1927)
Eva Willes Hale (1890–1957) Died September 11, 1985, Oxted, United Kingdom Alma mater Britannia Royal Naval College Awards Distinguished Service Order | ||
Commander John Simon Kerans (30 June 1915 – 12 September 1985) was an officer in the Royal Navy and later a Conservative Party politician. He is also the author of the 1964 book The World's Greatest Sea Adventures, Publisher: Odhams Books Ltd.
Contents
The Yangtze Incident
As Assistant British Naval Attaché in then Nanking, China in 1949, Lieutenant-Commander Kerans took command of HMS Amethyst when the ship came under fire on the Yangtze River during the final stages of the Chinese Civil War after the captain and 16 others were killed in the shelling. The ship was detained for ten weeks during negotiations for its release, until Kerans led a night-time escape. Kerans was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. The Amethyst incident was later the subject of a 1957 film called Yangtse Incident: The Story of HMS Amethyst, in which Kerans was portrayed by the British actor Richard Todd.
Politics
At the 1959 general election he was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament for The Hartlepools. He served only one term in the House of Commons, and did not contest the 1964 general election. He advocated the representation of Communist China in the United Nations.