Their role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery (RA) for active service.

[1][6][7][8][9][10] Captain Walter G. Stirling, RA, (later 3rd Baronet) was appointed Lt-Col on 24 April 1876, having been the major since 5 December 1871.

This assigned places in an order of battle of the 'Garrison Army' to Militia Artillery units: the Kent Artillery's war station was at Dover, including Dover Castle, Drop Redoubt, the Western Heights and Breakwater batteries, and the forts and batteries from Dymchurch to Ramsgate.

[1][2][7][9] The unit was twice embodied for home defence:[6][7][8][9] Although the Kent Artillery volunteered for overseas service during the Boer War, this offer was not accepted.

There were moves to reform the Auxiliary Forces (Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteers) to take their place in the six Army Corps proposed by St John Brodrick as Secretary of State for War.

[14][15] Under the sweeping Haldane Reforms of 1908, the Militia was replaced by the Special Reserve, a semi-professional force whose role was to provide reinforcement drafts for Regular units serving overseas in wartime.

Their black leather helmet carried a plate consisting of an ornate silver shield surmounted by a crown.

An 1896 photographs shows that the Kent was one of the few artillery militia corps to issue all ranks with the standard British Army blue cloth helmet of the period.