April 27th, 1944 (THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: From midnight tonight all travel abroad from Britain will be banned. Exit permits granted to would-be travellers are no longer valid, unless they have been issued during the past week. Some visits to Ireland will be allowed after strict scrutiny.
Similar pre-invasion moves are being made by the enemy. Civilians are being removed from coastal areas, and German families evacuated from the Ruhr when the heavy bombing began are being sent back. Vichy France has cut communications with neutral countries in an effort to prevent military and political intelligence from reaching the Allies. In a hunt for Allied sympathisers, diplomatic bags for French military attaches in Madrid, Lisbon and Berne have been seized.
Frigate HMCS Valleyfield departed Londonderry with Convoy ONM-234.
BALTIC SEA: U-803 sunk near Swinemünde, in position 53.55N, 14.17E, by a mine. 9 dead and 35 survivors.
FINLAND: The Finnish Chief of General Staff jalkaväenkenraali Erik Heinrichs starts his three-day visit in Germany. At Berchtesgaden he meets with the highest German military leadership, and there's some tension because of the recent Finnish peace-feelers. Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel states bluntly, that in Germany there's no mercy for traitors and complainers. Generaloberst Alfred Jodl is more friendly, but demands that Finland give a proclamation ensuring that the weapons Germany has delivered to Finland would not end in Soviet hands.
BURMA: Air Commando We did not fly again until the 5th of May. No one tells us much but think it is weather problems in Burma. Will pick up our combat flights on that date. Our food is a constant diet of powdered eggs, dehydrated potatoes with Spam or Vienna sausages. No bread but crackers and chlorinated water from canvas lister bags. We managed to appropriate a 10-in-1 ration on occasion and cook it up at our aircraft.
From 1946 until very recently no Spam was ever permitted in my house. A month or so ago I saw a travel TV on Hawaii and learned that Spam was the one biggest imports from the mainland. I broke down and purchased a new version that is called hot and spicy. Hate to admit it but it was great as my wife and I both like spicy foods. Still lack the nerve to try the W.W.II style. (Chuck Baisden)
CANADA:
Corvette HMCS Stellarton launched Midland, Ontario.
U.S.A.: The motion picture "Going My Way" is released in the U.S. Directed by Leo McCarey, this sentimental musical film stars Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Rise Stevens and Frank McHugh. Crosby is a young Catholic priest assigned to assist aging pastor Fitzgerald at a New York church. The songs include "Going My Way," "Swinging on a Star," "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral," "Silent Night" and "Ave Maria." The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won seven including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Crosby) and Best Supporting Actor (Fitzgerald, who was also nominated for Best Actor).
Destroyer escort USS Heyliger laid down.
Escort carrier USS Makassar Strait commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Submarine HMS Untiring (Lt. Boyd) sinks the German UJ 6075/Clairvoyant.