The Maltese Veterans, also known as the Corps of Veterans, was a corps in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

which existed from 1803 to 1815 in

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

, then a British protectorate and later a

colony In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the ''metropole, metropolit ...

. According to the

Treaty of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition The War of the Second Coalition (1798/9 – 1801/2, depending on perio ...

of 1802, Britain was to evacuate Malta and restore the islands to the Order of St. John. The treaty also stated that at least half of Malta's garrison had to consist of 2000 Maltese soldiers led by native officers. Although the treaty was not implemented and the British did not evacuate Malta, the garrisons were readjusted, with the existing

Maltese Light Infantry The Maltese Light Infantry was a light infantry battalion of the British Army which existed from 1800 to 1802 in Malta, then a British protectorate. It consisted of eight companies of Maltese soldiers, and it saw action in the French Revolutiona ...

Maltese Militia The Maltese Militia or Malta Militia was a militia unit in the British Army which existed from 1801 to 1802, and again from 1852 to 1857. The first incarnation was a volunteer unit of 900 men raised in the British protectorate of Malta. The secon ...

and

Maltese Militia Coast Artillery The Maltese Militia Coast Artillery was a coastal artillery militia unit in the British Army which existed from 1801 to 1802 in Malta, then a British protectorate. After the French blockade ended and the British took over Malta in September 1800 ...

being disbanded. The Maltese Veterans were set up in accordance with the treaty in 1803. The unit consisted of four companies with a total of 300 men. Their roles included acting as guards for government offices, military facilities and public spaces. The veterans consisted of the oldest and most experienced Maltese recruits, most of them who had been soldiers during Hospitaller rule or the French occupation. The unit was meant to provide employment for old men, while also encouraging younger men to enlist in other units so that they would be able to join the Veterans when they are older. The unit was commanded by the Marquis Pandolfo Testaferrata until 1811, when he was succeeded by Baron Pietro Paolo Testaferrata. All the officers were Maltese, with the exception of English adjutants who were transferred from British regiments. The Maltese Veterans assisted civil authorities in the efforts to contain the 1813 plague epidemic in Malta. The Maltese Veterans were amalgamated with the

Maltese Provincial Battalions The Maltese Provincial Battalions were infantry battalions in the British Army which existed from 1802 to 1815 in Malta, then a British protectorate and later a colony. According to the Treaty of Amiens of 1802, Britain was to evacuate Malta and ...

and the

Malta Coast Artillery The Malta Coast Artillery was a coastal artillery unit in the British Army which existed from 1802 to 1815 in Malta, then a British protectorate and later a colony. According to the Treaty of Amiens of 1802, Britain was to evacuate Malta and re ...

to form the

Royal Malta Fencible Regiment The Royal Malta Fencible Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army which existed from 1815 to 1861 in Malta, then a British colony. The regiment was recruited and organised by Francesco Rivarola in 1815; Rivarola had proved himself ...

on 16 February 1815.

References

{{reflist Corps of the British Army Military history of Malta Military units and formations established in 1803 Military units and formations disestablished in 1815 1803 establishments in Malta 1815 disestablishments in Malta