James Coles, MBE honoured in King’s Birthday Honours 2026

John Burnham, current Team Leader of MMRT writes:

Moffat Mountain Rescue Team is immensely proud to recognise James Coles on the announcement of his Membership of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours, awarded for his exceptional service to Mountain Rescue in Scotland.

James served as Team Leader of Moffat MRT for the last five years guiding the team through some of its most challenging and transformative years. His leadership combined calm decision‑making, deep operational experience, and an unwavering commitment to the safety of both the public and our volunteers. Under his stewardship, the team strengthened its training, modernised equipment, and enhanced its operational readiness across the vast and complex terrain of southern Scotland.

James’ contribution to Mountain Rescue extends far beyond Moffat. His service to Scottish Mountain Rescue spans decades, beginning with his early years as a search and rescue dog handler, supporting some of the most demanding search operations in the country. In more recent years, he has played a pivotal national role in helping SMR develop modern, resilient radio communications infrastructure. His work on national solutions — from improving coverage in remote terrain to shaping future‑proofed technical standards — has strengthened operational capability not just for Moffat MRT, but for teams across Scotland. This wider service reflects his long‑standing commitment to ensuring that volunteers have the tools, training, and systems they need to keep the public safe.

Throughout his tenure, James led the team through several major incidents, severe weather events, and complex multi‑agency operations. His ability to bring clarity, reassurance, and structure to high‑pressure situations has been invaluable. He has also been a mentor to many within the team, helping to develop the next generation of leaders and ensuring that our values of professionalism, compassion, and teamwork remain at the heart of everything we do.

This honour is richly deserved. It recognises not only James’ exceptional leadership, but also the countless hours of voluntary service he has given to Mountain Rescue at both local and national levels. We are grateful for his dedication, his integrity, and his continued support for the team.

We offer James our warmest congratulations on receiving this MBE, and our sincere thanks for everything he has contributed to Mountain Rescue in Scotland.

Moira Weatherstone, Chair of Scottish Mountain Rescue writes:

“On behalf of Scottish Mountain Rescue, we would like to congratulate James on being awarded an MBE for his services to Mountain Rescue. His dedicated commitment to supporting the improvement of communications for all team members over many years has ensured radio effective radio communications on the hill. We are grateful for James’s continued support to us. His MBE is a fitting recognition of a volunteer who has given so much, for so long, in the service of others.”

Many congratulations to James on this award for his many years of service to Mountain Rescue in many roles.