A Machine Gun Company 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.
On 01 March 1918, it was amalgamated with the 59th, 60th and 61st Machine Gun Companies to form No. 20 Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.
As a unit of the 20th (Light) Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
| 1917 | |
| 14 March to 05 April | German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line [XIV Corps, until 2 p.m., 25 March; then XV Corps, Fourth Army]. |
| 26 May to 16 June | Actions on the Hindenburg Line [IV Corps, Fifth Army, until 10 a.m., 31 May; then Third Army]. |
| BATTLES OF YPRES | |
| 16 to 18 August | Battle of Langemarck [XIV Corps, Fifth Army]. |
| 20 to 25 September | Battle of Menin Road Ridge [XIV Corps, Fifth Army]. |
| 26 to 28 September | Battle of Polygon Wood [XIV Corps, Fifth Army]. |
| BATTLE OF CAMBRAI | |
| 20 and 21 November | The Tank Attack [III Corps, Third Army]. |
| 23 to 28 November | Capture of Bourlon Wood [III Corps, Third Army]. |
| 30 November to 02 December | German Counter-Attacks [III Corps, Third Army]. |