▁full ▁army ▁pay . ▁Under ▁the ▁Act , ▁Milit ia ▁units ▁could ▁be ▁emb od ied ▁by ▁Royal ▁Pro clam ation ▁for ▁full - time ▁home ▁defence ▁service ▁in ▁three ▁circumstances : ▁▁ 1 . ▁' When ever ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁war ▁exists ▁between ▁Her ▁Majesty ▁and ▁any ▁foreign ▁power '. ▁▁ 2 . ▁' In ▁all ▁cases ▁of ▁invasion ▁or ▁upon ▁im min ent ▁danger ▁there of '. ▁▁ 3 . ▁' In ▁all ▁cases ▁of ▁re bell ion ▁or ▁ins urre ction '. ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁Act ▁introduced ▁Art illery ▁Milit ia ▁units ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁traditional ▁inf antry ▁reg iments . ▁Their ▁role ▁was ▁to ▁man ▁coast al ▁def ences ▁and ▁fort ifications , ▁rel ieving ▁the ▁Royal ▁Art illery ▁( RA ) ▁for ▁active ▁service . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁unit ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁Kent ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁with ▁six ▁batter ies ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁Kent ▁Milit ia ▁Art illery ▁with ▁headquarters ▁at ▁D over . ▁The ▁colon el ▁was ▁John ▁Town sh end , ▁ 3 rd ▁Vis count ▁Sydney ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁command ant ▁was ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁John ▁F arn aby ▁C ator , ▁a ▁Half - pay ▁Captain ▁in ▁the ▁RA , ▁who ▁later ▁changed ▁his ▁surname ▁to ▁L enn ard ▁and ▁was ▁created ▁a ▁Baron et . ▁Several ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁early ▁officers ▁were ▁half - pay ▁or ▁retired ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁or ▁Brigade ▁of ▁Gu ards ▁or ▁were ▁prominent ▁person