John Vernon Sheardown (October 11, 1924 – December 30, 2012) was a Canadian diplomat who played a leading role in the "
Canadian Caper
The "Canadian Caper" was the joint covert rescue by the Canadian government and the CIA of six American diplomats who had evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 1979, after the Iranian ...
". He and his wife
Zena personally sheltered Americans hiding in Iran during the
Iran hostage crisis
On November 4, 1979, 52 United States diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of militarized Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over ...
.
Early life
Sheardown was born on October 11, 1924 in
Sandwich, Ontario (now
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the southe ...
).
At the age of 18, he enlisted in the
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
and piloted an
Avro Lancaster heavy bomber in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, surviving having to bail out over England returning from a mission.
He remained in the military after the war and also served in Korea.
[
He later worked for the Canadian immigration service, beginning around 1962, then in the foreign service for 27 years,][ retiring in 1989.]
Canadian Caper
On November 4, 1979, the Iran hostage crisis
On November 4, 1979, 52 United States diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of militarized Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over ...
began; 52 American diplomats and civilians were taken hostage by Iranians in Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
. At the time, Sheardown was the chief immigration officer,[ the second-ranking official at the Canadian Embassy there.][
A group of five Americans had escaped capture. After hiding for six days, one of them, Robert Anders, telephoned Sheardown, a friend he had played tennis with, for help.][ Sheardown immediately contacted his superior, Ambassador Ken Taylor, who apprised the Canadian government. Approval was quickly given.] Sheardown and his wife Zena hid three of the Americans (Anders and married couple Cora Amburn-Lijek and Mark Lijek) in their rented 20-room home for 79 days at great personal risk, while Taylor sheltered two others (couple Joseph and Kathleen Stafford).[ On November 27, Taylor received a call from the Swedish ambassador ]Kaj Sundberg
Kaj Ingemar Sundberg (1 April 1924 – 7 November 1993) was a Swedish diplomat.
Early life
Sundberg was born on 1 April 1924 in Färila, Gävleborg County, Sweden, the son of Karl-Filip Sundberg (1893–1955), a physician, and his wife ''Bertha' ...
, asking him to take in American Lee Schatz.[ Schatz had been staying with a Swedish diplomat, but the Swedish ambassador felt he could better impersonate a Canadian.][ Taylor agreed, and placed Schatz in the Sheardown residence.][ The Sheardowns left Tehran days before the CIA smuggled the six Americans out of the country under fake Canadian passports on January 27, 1980.][
For his part in the Canadian Caper, Sheardown was made a member of the ]Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the cen ...
.[ He lobbied for his wife, ineligible as a British citizen who had never lived in Canada, to be awarded the same honour, which she received in 1981][ on an honorary basis through the intervention of ]Flora MacDonald
Flora MacDonald ( Gaelic: ''Fionnghal nic Dhòmhnaill'', 1722 - 5 March 1790) was a member of Clan Macdonald of Sleat, best known for helping Charles Edward Stuart evade government troops after the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. Her famil ...
. (She later became a full member after becoming a Canadian citizen.)
John and Zena Sheardown were portrayed in the 1981 Canadian-American television movie '' Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper'' by Chris Wiggins
Christopher John Wiggins (January 13, 1931 – February 19, 2017) was an English-born Canadian actor.
Career
He started out as a banker in his home country before he began his acting career in Canada, where he moved in 1952.
Wiggins is probably ...
and Diana Barrington
Diana Barrington (born 6 May 1939) is a British actress. She studied drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She was married to Canadian actor Ken Pogue until his death in 2015.
Career
Barrington worked at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre ...
, respectively. After the big-budget Hollywood movie '' Argo'' about the Canadian Caper was released in 2012, director Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup.
Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...
called to personally apologize to the Sheardowns for having to leave them out due to plot and time constraints,[ stating in a later interview, "It really did break my heart a bit."][
]
Personal life and death
Sheardown was married twice. He and his first wife, Kathleen Benson, divorced. He was married to his second wife, Zena Khan, from 1975 until his death in Ottawa on December 30, 2012. He had battled Alzheimer's disease and other ailments. He was also survived by two sons, Robin and John Jr.; daughter Jacqueline; and various grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheardown, John
1924 births
2012 deaths
Canadian diplomats
Canadian expatriates in Iran
Canadian military personnel of the Korean War
Canadian World War II pilots
Iran hostage crisis
Members of the Order of Canada
People with Alzheimer's disease
Royal Canadian Air Force personnel of World War II