Brian Hanrahan dies at 61

[ORAC]

BBC: Brian Hanrahan dies at 61

BBC foreign correspondent famed for coverage of Falklands war dies after a short illness

Brian Hanrahan, the long-serving BBC foreign correspondent best known for his coverage of the Falklands war, has died after a short illness.

Hanrahan, 61, the former BBC world diplomatic editor, also witnessed first hand the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

However, he will be best remembered for the line: "I counted them all out and I counted them all back," from one of his report's from the South Atlantic during the Falklands war in 1982.

Hanrahan was referring to Harrier jump jets returning to one of the Royal Navy's carriers after completing a combat mission without loss.

He used that form of words to get round military censorship of media reports – and it became the title of his book about the conflict, co-written with fellow correspondent Robert Fox.

[sled dog]

One of the very best, he will be sorely missed.

[david parry]

RIP Brian Audioboo / Brian Hanrahan "I counted them out..."

[Tallsar]

RIP from me too....met him several times...an excellent BBC journo of the "old school"...knew his stuff unlike too many of today's poseurs, and he knew what it mean't to us all to be discrete when neccessary to save lives and protect opsec.

Spooky that he goes in the same timeframe as the jets he is so remembered for....Au Revoir Brian

[Capetonian]

That's very sad to hear. Too young to leave us. I remember his Falklands coverage, he also wrote an excellent book on the same topic.

[greenhaven]

Flew him for a few hours off of HMS Illustrious in a Merlin when we were trialling the Wescam. Lots of very interesting dits, and a thoroughly decent chap.

Journalism has lost a great ambassador. RIP.

[alexmac]

Shame, only saw him on Eggheads last week. As Capetonian has said, his book is a great read.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Blimey! Never thought I'd hear kind words about him on this forum!
After the Falklands it was said he'd be lynched if he went anywhere near the Navy again.

knew what it mean't to us all to be discrete when neccessary

Was it not he who told the world, and thus the Argies why they weren't sinking our ships, allowing them to correct their bombs' fusing and shortly afterwards bye bye two ships?

[Old-Duffer]

Agaricus,

I think you might mean another 'journo' who also wrote a book after the Falklands campaign.

O-D

[Cunliffe]

I worked with Brian's brother Tom some years ago and he explained that BBC reporters had people around them who made all necessary arrangements such as flights, hotels etc. so they could just concentrate on doing their reports. Tom came into work one day having received a message from Brian. Message read "Getting married in a few weeks. Make necessary arrangements."

[Agaricus bisporus]

No, OD, I'm talking about BH all right.

I clearly remember screaming at the TV in fury when the fuzing/altitude thing was reported on the six o'clock news, whether by BH himself or not I can't recall but I think it probably was, and the sick feeling of dread afterwards that was soon to be amply fulfilled.

Shortly afterwards when I was in the Andrew we all heard the stories of how his life would be in danger (probably exaggerated, but you ever know) if he ever stepped on Navy property again and some incredible stories of angry demands for provision of helos at the snap of a finger in the middle of operations so he could go visit snother ship (claiming media "rights"), demands for random access to satcomms outside the agreed periods etc. It was the first time I heard the expression, "Coming the Big I Am". The impression given was that he thought the BBC had priority on access to equipment, trasnsport and personnel at all times and was never to be refused anything regardless of operational requirements.

Bear in mind that Adm. Woodward was also very displeased with the BBC's behaviour over reporting sensitive operational info and it has been said that other senior officers were talking of treason charges against the BBC's directors so it isn't all in my imagination.

[pulse1]

I think a few people might have been irritated when Bill Turnbull (BBC Breakfast this morning) referred to the "RAF aircraft" which BH famously counted and reported simply as "aircraft".

[Wiretensioner]

I just get irritated when Bill Turnbull and that other muppet on the couch open there mouths. If I wanted comedy at that time of the morning I'd put a Morcombe and Wise video on!

Wiretensioner

[Navaleye]

I am saddened to hear about Brian's death. I met him several times and found him to be a well informed, highly competent journalist. I had no idea he was ill. My thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Brian.

[LookingNorth]

AB - my recollection was that the BBC (World Service at first) reported the bombs not going off issue, but only did so after some muppet at the MoD told them about it in a press briefing.

[Tallsar]

AB...if indeed you are correct..I do vividly recall the issue and it effects..then my words have less weight than intended - and rightly so....I stand by my view that his overall output (thoughout his career) was more balanced and well researched than most, particularly these days (when even our leaders now feel it right to tell the enemy when we are leaving!)...And if he was responsible (I thought it was Robert Fox who had the reputation you refer to) then he made an error, which must have had an impact on him in later events.
I think too we musn't forget that this was the first UK war fought in the modern media/satellite age, and with the journos embedded too for the first tme and also effectively locked together with us all given the maritime emphasis. That some (on all sides) had to cope with each others not so pleasant pecadillos was with hindsight, no surprise. Lessons were learned by all.

[Caractacus]

I thought it was the Daily Telegraph that broke the story about the fuses?

[MAINJAFAD]

Looking North, You are totally correct in your statement in that it was a press briefing from MoD which informed the world about the Argies bomb fuzing problems, though by the time it came out, the release of that information may have had only a major effect on what happened on the 8 Jun 82 to the LSL's and HMS Plymouth (though none of the bombs that hit Plymouth exploded). It was also the MoD that briefed the press that 2 Para were going to attack Darwin and Goose Green which allowed the Argies to reinforce the defences there before 2 Para had even started their attack.

[Dan Winterland]

Brian was one of the few journalists who ever commanded real respect. Objective and succint reporting with no excess words and no ego to get in the way. The current crop of sensationalists should learn from him.

Rest in peace.

[Brain Potter]

I think too we musn't forget that this was the first UK war fought in the modern media/satellite age

I don't think this is wholly true. I remember that "breaking news" was delivered by the MoD spokesman in Whitehall (Ian MacDonald?) and the first on-scene reporting of any event came from newspaper dispatches and voice broadcasts. I don't think that TV was received by satellite from theatre but the tapes (or maybe even films?) came back via ship/aircraft, with a delay of a couple of weeks. Hence I think that the MoD would have heavy oversight of the TV reports, but perhaps less so with other media.