217th Machine Gun Company

A Machine Gun Company of the Machine Gun Corps was attached to each Infantry Brigade and their subsequent Division. An additional Company was attached as a divisional reserve.

Brigade attached to:Divisional Reserve
Division attached to:20th (Light) Division

The 217th M.G. Coy. disembarked from Le Havre on 17 March 1917. It jointed the Division at Carnoy on 23 March 1917.

As a unit of the 20th (Light) Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

1917
14 March to 05 AprilGerman Retreat to the Hindenburg Line [XIV Corps, until 2 p.m., 25 March; then XV Corps, Fourth Army].
26 May to 16 JuneActions on the Hindenburg Line [IV Corps, Fifth Army, until 10 a.m., 31 May; then Third Army].
BATTLES OF YPRES
16 to 18 AugustBattle of Langemarck [XIV Corps, Fifth Army].
20 to 25 SeptemberBattle of Menin Road Ridge [XIV Corps, Fifth Army].
26 to 28 SeptemberBattle of Polygon Wood [XIV Corps, Fifth Army].
BATTLE OF CAMBRAI
20 and 21 NovemberThe Tank Attack [III Corps, Third Army].
23 to 28 NovemberCapture of Bourlon Wood [III Corps, Third Army].
30 November to 02 DecemberGerman Counter-Attacks [III Corps, Third Army].

On 1 March 1918, it was amalgamated with the 59th60th and 61st Machine Gun Companies to form No. 20 Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.


Sources

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