Two of Scotland’s police chiefs are honoured for their crime fighting careers.

Chief Constable William Rae of Strathclyde Police was awarded a knighthood in recognition of his policing achievements and Grampian Chief Constable Colin McKerracher has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal.

Mr Rae said he felt privileged to have received the honour and paid tribute to his fellow policemen and women.

Mr Rae, from Glasgow, joined the now defunct Dunbartonshire County Constabulary as a police cadet back in 1966 and was promoted to constable within two years.

He rose throughout he ranks at the newly-formed Strathclyde Police in the 1970s and 80s before his appointment as Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary in 1996.

Following a successful five years in the post he returned to Strathclyde Police in his current position as Chief Constable.

He said, “I realise how privileged I am to receive the knighthood and I readily acknowledge that the achievements being recognised by my inclusion in the birthday honours list have only been possible because of the support provided by my fellow chief officers and the professionalism and courage of the men and women who work in the Scottish Police Service.”

Mr McKerracher took up the Grampian post last year, joining the force from Strathclyde Police where he was deputy chief constable. Mr McKerracher is a native of Glasgow and joined The City of Glasgow Police in 1974.

Throughout his career, Mr McKerracher has been operational in every rank and has been commander at Ibrox Stadium for both football matches and rock concerts.

In 1987, he graduated LLB following three years at Strathclyde University and in 1992 became project leader of the computerisation of the Scottish Criminal Justice System.

Mr McKerracher is married with two of a family and a grandchild, and has a keen interest in football.

l Three of Scotland’s firefighters were also recognised in this year’s honours list.

A Queen’s Fire Service medal went to deputy firemaster at Strathclyde Fire Brigade, Philip Robinson, who was one of the first officers in charge at the Stockline Plastics explosion in Glasgow last year.

Brian Whyte of Grampian Fire and Rescue Service’s community safety department also receives the Queen’s Fire Service Medal.

Mr Whyte was honoured for his contribution and commitment to community fire safety over many years and for innovative projects he has delivered to make Grampian a safer place.

Firemaster David Dalziel said, “Brian’s award of the QFSM is a deserved reflection of his tremendous contribution to community safety.”

Dumfries and Galloway firemaster David Wynne also receives the medal.

l Well-known entertainer Ronnie Coburn is delighted to have been awarded the MBE in the same year that he was named Dundee’s Citizen of the Year.

Ronnie has been honoured for his services to entertainment and said he is glad his brand of Scottish family variety show has received such recognition.

Originally from Edinburgh, Ronnie moved to Dundee in the 1950s.

His Breath of Scotland show has taken him all over the world and he has recently returned from his 44th tour of North America.

He has also produced and performed in shows for a wide range of good causes, including children with cancer, military charities, hospitals and homes for the elderly.

During his career, which began more than 50 years ago, Mr Coburn has also worked with comics such as Jack Milroy and Tony Hancock

Most recently he was awarded the citizen of the year title, and also organised a concert to support the tsunami relief effort.

The performer said he was overwhelmed to have been awarded the title.

He said, “I am delighted because we have been at this for a long time, I’ve been working for 50 years

“I have done 44 tours of Canada and America, four or five world tours and also gone to Australia and Malaysia, all over.

“The show has played some of the biggest concert halls and we have played timber cabins in the Rockies and people are still the same wherever we play.”

Ronnie said that an entertainer never discusses his “age or his wage,” but admitted to being the holder of a bus pass.

However, he has no thoughts of retiring.

“I think they’ll have to take me out and shoot me,” he joked.

He said the success of his shows is built on “friendship.”

l Alex Smith, who briefly managed Dundee United and last night parted company from Ross County, gets the MBE for services to sport.

He began his non-playing career with Stenhousemuir in 1969, then had 12 years with Stirling Albion before moving to St Mirren, then Aberdeen. He won the Scottish Cup with the Buddies and also won that trophy as well as the League Cup with the Dons

He became manager at Tannadice after the resignation of Paul Sturrock in 2000, being replaced by Paul Hegarty in 2002.

He was briefly out of work before becoming manager of the Dingwall club.

l An Aberfeldy man has been honoured for services to the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families’ Association in Perthshire, Kinross and Angus.

Commander Geoffrey Straw, who receives the MBE, retired from the Royal Navy in 1983 and took up the post of bursar at a boys’ public school in Manchester.

He moved to Aberfeldy in 1990.

Since then he has been a leading light in the charity and was branch secretary for eight years.

Manned by unpaid volunteers across the country, the charity assists serving and ex-servicemen and women in all sorts of differing circumstances.

l The principal of Perth College, Mike Webster, has been awarded the CBE.

Dr Webster who described himself as “very, very delighted” at receiving the honour, has been recognised for his services to further education.

This contribution can be broken down into three areas—his role in the development of Perth College, which Dr Webster described as a “success story,” the establishment of the Association of Scottish Colleges, and the University of the Highlands and Islands project.

He commented, “In all of these cases I have only been a part of a team and they have been successful because of the efforts of a group of people.”

l William Gordon Thomson, chairman of the Dunfermline-based Carnegie UK Trust, has been awarded the CBE for charitable services.

Mr Thomson has been chairman of the trust, which supports research, public policy analysis and grass-roots social action initiatives, for the last five years, a position from which he will retire at the end of this year.

He has been a trustee for 27 years.

He owns shops in Ullapool.

l Glenochil-based prison physical education instructor Steven Findlay, originally from Arbroath, was awarded the MBE.

Mr Findlay has visited Buckingham Palace before to collect a Butler Trust award in March last year.

Mr Findlay encourages prisoners to achieve their Community Sports Leaders’ Awards by providing a programme of activities for disabled adults from the local community and helps enhance the opportunities for employment for prisoners on their release from prison.

l One of Tayside’s most talented and popular musical figures, John Scrimger, has been awarded the MBE for services to music in Scotland.

In 1977 he made music his full-time profession, and was musical director of Dundee Rep from then until 1981.

Mr Scrimger, who is Perth-based, then took up the role of musical director of Perth Theatre until his retiral in 1997.

Along with baritone Donald Maxwell and mezzo-soprano Linda Ormiston, pianist John is widely known for his work as The Music Box.

John Scrimger is organist at St Leonard’s -in-the-Fields Church in Perth.

l The former director of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), who hails from Angus, has been awarded the OBE for services to the NHS.

Angus Macmillan Douglas—born in Edinburgh, brought up at Douglastown, near Forfar, and who has returned to his childhood roots in Angus—held the position between 1997 and last year.

During the same period he was a director of the NHS’s national services board.

The father-of-two is a former chairman of the UK Forum of Blood Services and director of the European Blood Services’ Association.

Mr Macmillan Douglas was highly praised by his successor Keith Thompson, who took over as national director in February last year.

In the organisation’s 2003-2004 annual report he said of Mr Macmillan Douglas, “During his tenure SNBTS went through many strategic changes with the goal of improving services for the donors and patients.

“It is a tribute to his leadership that, in a changing world, SNBTS is still highly regarded by health care professionals . . .”

Speaking from his Angus home, Mr Macmillan Douglas said yesterday, “I am hugely honoured to receive this award.

“I am indebted to those throughout SNBTS who have made it into a truly world-class service, of which Scots can be proud.”

Prior to his NHS work he spent 30 years in the oil industry and was general manager of international public affairs at British Petroleum and a member of the Council of the Confederation of British Industry.

He is a member of the Court of Abertay University and chairman of the Conservative Party in Angus.

l Douglas Carstairs, compliance manager with the revenue and customs department in Dundee, receives the MBE in recognition of his work.

Mr Carstairs (57), who is married and lives in West Ferry, joined the Inland Revenue 40 years ago after leaving St John’s secondary school.

He was initially employed as a clerical assistant but worked his way through the grades to head the investigations team.

Mr Carstairs, who was born in Dundee, also served for 34 years in the Royal Marines Reserves and was awarded the Reserve Decoration for his long service.

l The chief executive of Blackford water giants Highland Spring, Mr Joe Beeston has been awarded the OBE for services to the soft drinks industry in Scotland.

Under his guidance, the company has become the top producer of natural mineral water in the country and the biggest export brand, selling in around 50 countries.

Mr Beeston (58) joined in 1992.

He has overseen a £50 million investment in the Blackford plant.

Prior to joining Highland Spring he managed various businesses for Allied-Domecq and was instrumental in building a £400 million turnover spirits distribution business for Allied in the UK.

l The OBE has also gone to Ian Mullen, chairman of Forth Valley NHS Board for services to the NHS in Scotland.

He was appointed in September 2002, having already served a four-year spell as a member of the board from 1987 to 1991, including two years as vice-chair of the board.

Other roles have included chairman of Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust from 1993 to 1999 and chairman of the Forth Valley Acute Hospitals NHS Trust from 1999 to 2002.

A pharmacist by profession, Ian Mullen practised as a community pharmacist between 1970 and 1996 and chaired the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council from 1986 to 1988.