The Great War
The Kensington Regiment during the Great War was known as the 13th (Kensington) Battalion, The London Regiment. It was an Infantry Battalion that would have had an MG Section as part of its Battalion Headquarters. These weapons would have been brigaded when the Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915. The guns, and crews, would have been formed into a Machine Gun Company.
The Inter-war Period
In 1922, the Machine Gun Corps was disbanded and the guns returned to the Infantry Battalion as a Machine Gun Platoon and then formed as a Machine Gun Company in the early 1930s.
The Second World War
This remained until the formation of Divisional Machine Gun Battalions in 1936 where guns were brigaded once again. The Kensingtons were one of those Infantry Regiments converted to this new role.
1st
The 1st Battalion was organised as a Divisional MG Battalion but attached to General Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force, available to Corps Troops as required. It took part in the Campaign in France and Belgium, May 1940.
At the outbreak of War, the 1st Bn was part of the 6th London Infantry Brigade, a Second Line Territorial Army Infantry Brigade. It remained here until 19 November, 1939. It was in the United Kingdom throughout this period.
Between 09 June and 15 June, 1940, two Companies of the 1st Bn was attached to the 154th Infantry Brigade to form part of ARKFORCE – a composite unit formed for operations in France.
From 11 November, 1941, until 20 May, 1942, the 1st Bn was the Divisional MG Battalion to the 56th (London) Infantry Division. It remained in the United Kingdom throughout this period.
From 16 June, 1943, until 12 July, 1944, it was the Divisional Support Battalion to the 78th Infantry Division. It reverted to the establishment of a Divisional MG Battalion from 13 July 1944 and remained with the 78th until the end of the War.
The 78th Infantry Division was formed in Scotland in June 1942 from the 1st (Guards), 11th and 36th Infantry Brigades. During the time the 1st was with the 78th, it was in the following theatres and battles.
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 09 November, 1942, to 23 July, 1943 | North Africa | |
| 23 July, 1943, to 26 July, 1943 | At Sea | |
| 26 July, 1943, to 22 September, 1943 | Sicily |
|
| 22 September, 1943, to 18 July, 1944 | Italy |
|
| 18 July, 1944, to 23 July, 1944 | At Sea | |
| 23 July, 1944, to 09 September, 1944 | Egypt | |
| 09 September, 1944 to 15 September, 1944 | At Sea | |
| 15 September, 1944 to 08 May, 1945 | Italy |
|
| 08 May, 1945, to 31 August, 1945 | Austria |
2nd
At the outbreak of War, the 2nd Bn was part of the 6th London Infantry Brigade, a Second Line Territorial Army Infantry Brigade. It remained here until 03 May, 1940. It was in the United Kingdom throughout this period.
From 07 June, 1943, until 27 February, 1944, the 2nd Bn was the Divisional Support Battalion to the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division. It reverted to the Divisional MG Battalion establishment from 28 February, 1944, until the end of the War.
The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was mobilised in September 1939 as a First line Territorial Army Infantry Division. During the time the 2nd was with the 49th, it was in the following theatres and battles.
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 26 April, 1942, to 06 June, 1944 | United Kingdom | |
| 06 June, 1944, to 12 June, 1944 | At Sea | |
| 12 June, 1944, to 31 August, 1945 | North West Europe |
|
Post-Second World War
After the Second World War, the MG assets reverted to MG Platoons within support companies of Infantry Battalions.
