The
Royal Hospital Chelsea had responsibility for administering the Corps of Invalids until its dissolution in 1802 and for the related
Edmund Fielding's Regiment of Foot (later known as the Royal Invalids) until 1741. The corps's role was to provide garrisons to forts in the
Great Britain, freeing up regular units of the British Army for service overseas. The Royal Hospital served as a home for a select number of the most disabled or infirm veterans – the so-called "in-pensioners" – and administered the payment of pensions to the remainder of entitled veterans – the "out-pensioners" – who lived in their own homes. The number of in-pensioners never exceeded 500 at any time and comprised just 14% of the total number of pensioners in 1703 and just 2% in 1785. The corps played a vital role in regulating the manpower requirements of the British Army, increasing or decreasing in size as the need arose. New companies of the corps were raised by carrying out medical examinations of the out-pensioners to determines those who were fit for garrison service. The only requirement was that the man could walk without assistance and be "capable of fireing over a wall". The medical examinations originally required that the man travel to the hospital for examination, causing some difficulty and discomfort for the infirm – after 1754 examinations were conducted in each
county town. The examinations also acted as a means of reducing the number of fraudulent pension payments to deceased or able-bodied men and of keeping records updated. In addition to the pensioners some men were accepted direct from retirement from the regular army whose disability would not have entitled them to an out-pension. The examination process was lengthy and it often took months after discharge for soldiers to join the corps or to receive a pension. The recruits were largely privates, there were limited positions for non-commissioned officers in the corps and the commissioners of the hospital were often unwilling to demote such men to the ranks to join the corps. Such men were kept as out-pensioners instead. The company commanders were appointed by the
Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, they usually held the rank of captain but some times more senior
field officers were appointed. The lieutenants and ensigns were nominated by the commissioners of the Chelsea Hospital. They were usually disabled former line infantry officers or men from the
Life Guards (whose
other ranks came traditionally from the gentry). From February 1712 the recruitment system was reformed. The Hospital was instructed that every new recruit to the corps must have received wounds whilst in service or had spent 20 years in the army. Those who had been dismissed from service or officers who had sold their commissions were also barred. The Secretary of War took control of the selection of officers for the unit, choosing one from a shortlist of five for each vacancy. The officers received their half-pay from the main army funds but the
other ranks were paid by the hospital. The men of the corps were paid the equivalent of the out-pension, which was much below the rate of pay in the regular army. As a result a battalion of men cost the exchequer £2,295 per year rather than in excess of £12,000 that it cost for a regular line battalion. Due to the difference in pay men often preferred to re-enlist with line regiments if fit enough rather than serve with the invalids. was home to an Invalids garrison on the
Isles of Scilly. Men were often kept in the corps for a long time. Periods of duty in excess of 15 years were not uncommon and the majority of men served at least 6 years in the corps. As an example, the
modal age of men in Scottish units was 61. The men were often posted to garrisons near to their home towns or were allowed to settle their families nearby. The Scottish and Irish garrisons were generally composed of Scottish and Irish invalids. Owing to their disability and age many members of the corps spent as much time on the sick roll as they did on duty, one exception was the garrison on the
Isles of Scilly which benefited from a warmer climate. Invalids were meant to be discharged when they became too old or infirm to carry out light duties. In addition their mental state and the impact of their service upon any dependents was considered. Until 1703 the officers of the corps had to seek permission from the Chelsea Hospital before discharging a man due to ill health. The vast majority (more than 99%) of those discharged became eligible to receive an out-pension. Before becoming eligible to receive this the discharged man was subject to a medical examination, in the intervening period the hospital paid for their travel and lodgings. Men that were discharged back to the hospital sometimes found that no lodgings were available for them there, the billets having been occupied by men of the Foot Guards, and were forced to bivouac in nearby fields. The treatment and discipline of the men was generally more lenient than that of the regular army. However in 1716 the Corps of Invalids was brought within the scope of the
Mutiny Act, coming for the first time under the same disciplinary arrangements as the regular army. In July 1717 two invalids were convicted of desertion, flogged and their pensions invalidated. Withholding of pay was also known to have been inflicted as a punishment. == Uniform ==