He covered, with his carefully crafted words, some of the major world events of the past 30 years. He was well respected by his peers and will be missed by those of us who have much respect for journalists of substance.
It is ironic that just a week after Britain's Harrier Jets were de-commissioned, the man who famously 'counted them out and counted them back in' during the Falklands War, has passed away.
To get around Ministry of Defence restrictions, he cleverly stated: "I'm not allowed to say how many planes joined the raid, but I counted them all out and I counted them all back - their piolots were unhurt, cheerful and jubilant".
For me personally, because of my tender age I suppose, I mostly associate him with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Those glasses and that calm delivery whilst hysteria and delirium was breaking out all around him will forever stay with me.
There's nothing better than excellent journalism which becomes as much a part of the story as the story itself. It isn't a matter of saying too much but a matter of knowing what to say, when to say it and when to shut up. The BBC have got the best reputation for this in my opinion and Brian Hanrahan epitomised that excellence.
As has just been reported on the BBC News, he was "A very decent man who will be much missed".
RIP Brian Hanrahan - 1949-2010
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