I counted them all out, and I counted them all back.

[Jaded]

RIP Brian Hanrahan, best known for his reports back from the Falklands fleet.

[Mr Larrington]

Dr Larrington once met him on a train in China.  "Did you go to the Falklands?" she asked.

[SlowCoach]

Now I'm feeling old. This is the reporter that I think of as having covered many of the major news events of my adult life: Falklands' War, Belin Wall, Tianaman Square, assasination of Indihra Ghandi, Kosovo, 9/11...

Was his phrase - "I counted them all out and I counted them all back" during the Falklands a piece of misinformation - or is that urban myth? The assumption at the time was that the same number of Harriers returned that departed on a raid, but that isn't exactly what he said.

[perpetual dan]

Yes, RIP. That list of events was very long.

[Nightfly]

A sad loss. An exemplary journalist.

BBC News - BBC correspondent Brian Hanrahan dies at 61

[Jaded]

Now I'm feeling old. This is the reporter that I think of as having covered many of the major news events of my adult life: Falklands' War, Belin Wall, Tianaman Square, assasination of Indihra Ghandi, Kosovo, 9/11...

Was his phrase - "I counted them all out and I counted them all back" during the Falklands a piece of misinformation - or is that urban myth? The assumption at the time was that the same number of Harriers returned that departed on a raid, but that isn't exactly what he said.

I remember seeing this report when it came in. He wasn't allowed to count them or say if any had been lost; if he had the despatch would have been censored. So he found a way round that. The clear implication was that none were lost.

[Nightfly]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Politics section given that Mr Hanrahan reported on major political issues and world events?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Not unless you think his death is a political event worthy of debate, surely?

[her_welshness]

I saw him on 'Eggheads' last week - 61 is very young to go. RIP 

[jogler]

I have the same thoughts as Slowcoach & like her welshness consider 61* too young to die.
*when the grim reaper is taking sheep from the fold you live in it's a worry

[Biggsy]

A friend of mine bumped into him while shopping and asked him to give a talk for a local small group (of mostly old ladies) - which he did.  I wonder how many busy reporters would be so accommodating?

[Arch]

From the BBC report:

"It's a mark of the man that even last week, as he lay in his hospital bed, he was texting colleagues to say how sorry he was that he wouldn't be able to cover the last flight of the Harrier."

How sad that he should follow them so soon, and so early.

RIP.

[David Martin]

From the BBC report:

"It's a mark of the man that even last week, as he lay in his hospital bed, he was texting colleagues to say how sorry he was that he wouldn't be able to cover the last flight of the Harrier."

How sad that he should follow them so soon, and so early.

RIP.

The tribute from the RAF was very nice. 'We are sorry that Brian couldn't be here, but can assure him that we counted them all out and we counted them all back. We wish him a speedy recovery'