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The front view of the memorial in Rushden Cemetery, close to the main entrance. Some shrubs planted behind would make it a nicer picture.

Photos of the two young men who are named on the memorial can be seen here www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/war/boerwar1900ambulancemen.html









Made by "Morris & Sons" of Rushden, who were also to be responsible for most of Rushden's Great War memorial.


A much nicer side view.



....The scourge of fever is still claiming a terribly large number of victims among our troops day by day. Yesterday's list included the name of Private C. E. Bettles, of Rushden, a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. He was one of the most popular men in the local corps, and his untimely end on his mission of mercy will cause keen sorrow in and around Rushden. He is the third ambulance man of the Wellingborough Centre who has died from enteric fever at the front.
The Northampton Mercury, Friday 6th July 1900


....A memorial service in memory of Private Charles Rainbow Bettles, of the St. John Ambulance Corps, and a senior scholar of the Old Baptist Chapel, took place in the above place of worship on Sunday evening last. A procession of deceased's fellow comrades in the Ambulance Corps, augmented by complements from the district, was formed at the Alfred-street Board Schools at 5.30, from whence they marched to the service. The officers present were: Assistant Commissioner T. Woolston, Supt. T. H. Hilton. Rushden: Supt. A. Cave, First Officer Swindall, Sergeant Bozeat, Sergeant Knight, Bugler Francis, and Private J. C. Wright, secretary. Higham Ferrers: First Officer Groome, Sergeant Bettles, Private Abbott (in khaki). Wellingborough: Sergeants Clayson and Smeathers, Staff-sergeant Watts and Chief Surgeon Audland. Irthlingborough: Corporal Bugby, J. R. Brown, secretary. Ringstead: Supt. Perry. In addition to the above were the President of the Rushden Corps, Mr. J. Claridge, C.C., and Dr. Owen. The members of the Women's Section of the Corps were also included in the procession, together with Private C. R. Bettles' fellow scholars in the Baptist senior classes. The service commenced with "No partings yonder," well given by the choir. The chapel was filled to overflowing. The service was touching and impressive, and appropriate hymns were sung for the occasion. The anthem was " Vital spark." The pastor, Rev. W. F. Harris, delivered a feeling and touching address. Having spoken of the blessedness of the work in which the members of the St. John Ambulance Association is doing and the recognition and reward all such works of mercy gain from God, he quoted from one or two passages from letters received from their comrade, Private C. R. Bettles, the sentiments of which showed him to be a true and devoted worker. They did not know much about his last hours; they probably never would know about them upon earth. What they did know was that he thought about the homeland and read the Bible. It was pathetic to think of him dying in that lonely land with no mother to soothe his placid brow or kiss him a last farewell. But who could tell but what Jesus Christ may have been to him his joy and his stay, and possibly he closed his eyes on the Cross only to open them again to have the satisfaction of meeting the Saviour's gaze.—The collection was then taken, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to a fund to provide a permanent memorial to the late Chas. Rainbow Bettles. "Rock of ages" was the concluding hymn. The "Dead March in " Saul " was rendered after the Benediction by Mr. Geo. Farcy.
The Northampton Mercury, Friday 20th July 1900
www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/war/memorial%20men/bettlesC1900.html


....SOUTH AFRICA.—In the list of casualties reported this morning appears the name of 863 Private A. Ellis, of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, who died from enteric fever at Johannesburg on August 22.
....Another of our county Ambulance men, Private Ellis, of Rushden, has succumbed to enteric fever whilst serving in South Africa. This makes the fourth from the county and the second from Rushden, who has succumbed to the scourge.
The Northampton Mercury, Friday 31st August 1900

A fuller obituary for Arthur Ellis is here www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/war/memorial%20men/ellisA1900.html


. ....On Saturday afternoon at Rushden, Mrs. P. Cave unveiled the memorial raised to the memory of Charles R. Bettles and Arthur Ellis, members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, who died of enteric, the one at Bloemfontein, the other at Johannesburg, during the South African War. The inscription on the monument, which is a red Aberdeen granite obelisk, 9ft. high and 3ft. 2in. wide, standing inside the Newton-road entrance reads as follows:—"To the memory of Charles R. Bettles, who died at Bloemfontein, June 29, 1900, aged 19 years; and Arthur Ellis, who died at Johannesburg, August 2nd, 1900, aged 19 years, while serving as Volunteer Hospital orderlies in the South African War. This monument is erected by sympathetic friends. 26th July, 1902." Also on the left-hand side of the monument is the text: "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." The ceremony commenced with a procession, headed by the Rushden Temperance Band, which was formed at the station, consisting of members of the local Ambulance, together with detachments from Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough, Finedon, Ringstead, Wollaston, Irchester, and Bozeat. Following these were the nursing sisters and members of the Park-road Baptist Bible Class, and the Park-road Wesleyan Bible Class. On arriving at the site of the monument an impressive service was held.—Superintendent Hilton stated that Bettles and Ellis were among the 52 members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade who went out to South Africa at the first call. They reached Bloemfontein and Johannesburg just at the time when the scourge of enteric fever had made itself felt in its worst form.—First Officer Swindall stated that they had asked Mrs. Cave to unveil the monument in the absence of Mr. Cave, their president, who was in South Africa. - Mrs. Cave then gracefully removed the white cloth.—After the Rev. T. E. Thompson and Rev. W. F. Harris had addressed the meeting, Superintendent Cave [Cave wasn't present; should it be Hilton?] asked Mr. G. Denton to accept the memorial on behalf of the town, a request to which Mr. Denton readily acceded.—A vote of thanks was carried to Mrs. Cave, and the service closed with the Benediction, pronounced by the Rev. F. E. Perrin. The members of the procession afterwards had tea in the Newton-road Board Schools. The scheme was arranged by the local Ambulance Corps and the two Bible Classes mentioned above, with which Bettles and Ellis were connected.
The Northampton Mercury, Friday 1st August 1902


Burials in Rushden Cemetery of men with ABW connections include James Mackness, Royal Army Medical Corps, (Sergeant Mackness, St John Ambulance Brigade?) www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/people/obituar...macknessJas1918.html and Edward George Buckby
www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/people/obituar...bySgtEdwGeo1912.html
Despite knowing which section each burial was in, I couldn't find either of Mackness's or Buckby's graves.