http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/oct44/27oct44.htm#
Fighters fly from Philippines
Friday, October 27, 1944 www.onwar.com
In the Philippines... On land, the US 7th Division (part of US 24th Corps) captures Buri Airfield. Meanwhile, the Tacloban airstrip, on Leyte, becomes operational and the US 9th Fighter Squadron flies the first mission by Philippines based American fighters since 1942. At sea, a group of 3 carriers commanded by Admiral Sherman attacks Japanese shipping around Luzon, sinking 2 destroyers. There are also air strikes on Luzon. The battleship USS California is damaged.
On the Eastern Front... In Latvia, new Soviet attacks begin. In Hungary, Soviet 4th Ukrainian Front captures Uzhgorod in the northeast.
On the Western Front... In the Scheldt, forces of the Canadian 1st Army continue attacks on Beveland and inland. Bergen-op-Zoom is captured. Meanwhile, German forces counterattack the British 2nd Army to the right. Tilburg is captured by British forces.
From Berlin... Field Marshal von Richthofen, the former commander of the elite close support force Fliegerkorps 8 in France, the Balkans and the Soviet Union, and cousin of the “Red Baron” is forces to retire from the command of Luftflotte 2 in Italy, following brain surgery.
In Italy... The Allied advance is limited by poor winter weather.
In Spain... The Spanish Army launches a campaign against Republican resistance forces located in the Pyrenees Mountains.
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/9/27.htm
October 27th, 1944 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: The first Avro Anson Mk XII (NL 153) makes its maiden flight. (22)
Also the prototype Bristol Buckmaster three-seat advanced trainer, (TJ 714) makes its maiden flight. (22)
NORTH SEA: German submarine U-1060 (Type VIIF), not a boat but a torpedo transport operating mainly to the Norwegian bases, is driven ashore and grounded about 87 nautical miles (15 kilometers) west-southwest of Bronnøysund, Norway, in position 65.24N, 11.59E after damages by rockets and depth charges from a Firefly Mk. I and two Barracuda Mk. IIs in the British aircraft carrier HMS Implacable (86). The submarine is later destroyed by two RAF Halifax Mk. IIs, aircraft of No. 503 Squadron based at Stornoway, Hebrides Islands, U.K.; and two RAF (B-24) Liberator Mk. Vs, aircraft of No. 311 (Czech) Squadron based at Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland. There are 43 survivors of the 55 men in the sub. (Alex Gordon)
NETHERLANDS: The Canadian attacks in the Beveland continues. Inland, Bergen-op-Zoom is captured.
A sharp German counterattack is mounted near Venlo, against the British 2nd Army Sector and British troops capture Tilburg.
In the Canadian First Army’s II Corps area, forward elements of the Canadian 2d Division reach the Beveland Canal, at the western end of the Beveland Isthmus, and cross during the night of 27/28 October. The 52d Division expands the Baarland bridgehead to Oudelande. In the British I Corps area, Bergen-op-Zoom falls to the Canadian 4th Armoured Division. The 413th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 104th Infantry Division, assisted by effective artillery preparation and attached British tanks, takes Zundert by storm.
In the British Second Army’s VIII Corps area, the Germans, following a heavy artillery barrage, open a strong tank-infantry attack toward Asten in an effort to divert Allied strength from the main battle front, penetrating lightly held positions of the U.S. 7th Armored Division along the Canal de Deurne and Canal du Nord, west of Venlo. The Germans take Meijel, near the junction of the two canals, and penetrate the line at Heitrak, on the Meijel- Deurne highway, and near Nederweert. Combat Command A of the U.S. 7th Armored Division seals off the penetration near Nederweert.
During the night of 27/28 October, eight USAAF Eighth Air Force aircraft drop leaflets over the country.
FRANCE: In the U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, the 357th Infantry Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division, employing four small teams, again attempts in vain to take Hotel de Ville in Maizières-lês-Metz.
In the U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, the 3d Infantry Division presses slowly in on St Die against heavy fire. The 36th Infantry Division’s isolated and surrounded battalion (1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment) is too weak to break out, but some progress toward it is made by troops of the 442d Infantry Regiment (Nisei). First efforts to drop supplies by air fail. Subsequent attempts achieve some success.
In the French First Army area, General Jean Lattre de Tassigny, commander of the First Army, at conference with Lieutenant General Jacob Devers, Commanding General Sixth Army Group, at Vittel, presents his plan for offensive toward Belfort and gains Devers’ approval. The French drive is to coincide with general Allied offensive in November and is to open on the 13th.
The USAAF XII Tactical Air Command flies supply dropping missions (to VI Corps near Saint-Die).
GERMANY: Martin Bormann, Head of the Nazi Party Chancellery and private secretary of Chancellor Adolf Hitler, writes to Alfred Rosenberg, Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories, informing him that Hitler has rejected the idea of using clergymen for forced labor.
During the night of 27/28 October, RAF Bomber Command Mosquitos bomb seven cities without loss: 58 hit Berlin, three each attack Pforzheim and Rheine, two each bomb Dusseldorf and Essen, and one each hit Mannheim and Schweinfurt.
U-3015 launched.
U-2539 laid down.
HUNGARY: Troops of the Soviet Fourth Ukrainian Front take Ungvar (Uzhorod) on the northeastern border. This completes the Soviet conquest of Carpatho-Ukraine (Ruthenia before March 1939).
LATVIA: A renewed Soviet attacks begins.
ITALY: As winter sets in the Allied advance bogs down.
In the U.S. Fifth Army’s British XIII Corps area, the 26th Armoured Brigade Group, following up the German withdrawal on the right flank of the corps, occupies Rocca St. Casciano, on Highway 67.
In the British Eighth Army’s Polish II Corps area, elements of the 5th Kresowa Division recapture Predappio Nuovo. In the V Corps area, the Indian 10th Division crosses additional elements over the Ronco River during the night of 27/28 October. In the Canadian I Corps area, plans to relieve the Canadian 1st Division and 5th Armoured Division cannot be carried out at this time because of weather conditions. Advance elements of the corps across the Bevano River in the coastal sector are withdrawn.
Weather curtails operations of the USAAF Twelfth Air Force; fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance in the Genoa-Novi Ligure-Turin area hit communications and transportation targets.
There is one sing they do not - by order - play on the British Forces Broadcasting Service in Italy. The German Lili Marlene remains top of the Eighth Army hit parade, with Glenn Miller running a close second. The frowned-upon song (sung to the tune of Lili Marlene) is based on the alleged, and since denied, remark by a British MP, Lady (Nancy) Astor, and runs: