October 27th, 1940 (SUNDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:Battle of Britain: The weather is cloudy all day except for brighter weather in the late morning. During the day, German aircraft activity is centred over London, Kent, and Sussex and Portsmouth is attackortsmouth is attacked in the late afternoon. The Luftwaffe's main objective appears to be RAF Stations, attacks being made on no less than 16 of these. The commencement of night activity is at 1800 hours when the South East and East Coast aerodromes are attacked. Later London, the Bristol Channel area and the Midlands as far North as Liverpool are visited. A raid on Conventry lasts from 2023 to 2130 hours and during this period 75 fires are started, but these are all under control by 2220 hours. Considerable damage is caused to shop property, Central Market Hall and to house property, and four factories. RAF Fighter Command claims 8-7-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; antiaircraft batteries claim 2-0-0. The RAF loses nine aircraft with five pilots killed or missing.
RAF Fighter Command: Seven airfields are attacked. Continuing fighter-bomber raids and individual tip-and-run bomber attacks force Fighter Command to fly over 1,000 sorties. That it can do so is proof of its continuing strength.
Losses: Luftwaffe, 15; RAF, 10.
RAF Bomber Command: In a night of widespread bombing, the RAF successfully targets the key Skoda arms plant at Plzeň in Czechoslovakia.
French Brigadier General Charles de Gaulle forms the free government for France stating, "As long as the French Government and the representation of the French people do not exist normally and independently of the enemy, the powers formerly performed by the Chief of State and by the Council of Ministers will be exercised by the leader of the Free French forces assisted by a Council of Defense."
GREECE: Dimitry Statharos
has his stitches cut after his operation for a phony case of
appendicitis, the doctor asks him to stay overnight for observation
before he takes his coveted 20 day leave. As he sleeps, Italian
Ambassador Grazzi arrives outside the residence of Greek PM John
Metaxas at some time after 2:00 a.m. Grazzi delivers an ultimatum to Metaxas
which demands that Italian troops be allowed entry into Greece to
occupy key positions. (Steven Statharos)
FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA: Free French forces under General Rene de Larminat, High Commissioner of Free French Colonies in Africa and General Officer Commanding Free French Forces in Equatorial Africa occupy Lambarene in Gabon.
BELGIAN CONGO: Brazzaville: General de Gaulle has arrived in the capital of French Equatorial Africa, and proclaimed the creation of a Council of Defence of the French Empire. He was welcomed by the governor, Felix Eboue, and huge crowds.
Most of French Equatorial Africa, with 12 million inhabitants, rallied to de Gaulle in late July after the arrival of emissaries sent from London led by General Leclerc. Attempts to rally French West Africa suffered a setback with de Gaulle's failure to capture Senegal from Vichy in September.