http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/27.htm
October 27th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
Battle of Britain:
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 Plzen in Czechoslovakia.
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)
What also would have been good to mention on the 27th was a strange paradoxical situation that Metaxas found himself and some Greeks in on the night of the 27th. Im recalling this from the tope of my head but that night the Italian embassy held a celebration following the performance of (I believe it was) Madame Butterfly. In this celebration on underlying theme of the Italian hosts was the strength of positive/friendly ties between Greece and Italy.... Greek and Italian flags were strewn about side by side to celebrate this. However while this was going on, elsewhere in the embassy secretaries were working furiously elsewhere in the embassy to translate the communiqué from Italy which contained the ultimatum that Grazzi was to deliver that night. At one point Grazzi excused himself and was absent for a substantial time, when he returned some of the Greek guests noted that his mood had changed , as if something was troubling him. It is believed that he received the ultimatum from his superiors during this absence. The “strong ties” they celebrated that night would be shattered before sunrise. -steve statharos
AFRICA: Free French forces under General de Larminat occupy Lambarene in Gabon (French Equatorial Africa.)
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.
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 423 October 27, 1940
Battle of Britain Day 110. Despite cloudy weather, Luftwaffe sends 5 raids of 50-60 aircraft between 8AM and 5 PM (mostly bomb-carrying Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters with a few medium bombers). At dusk, German bombers attack 14 RAF airfields, causing much minor damage. RAF shoots down 6 Luftwaffe fighters and 2 bombers. 2 more German bombers are downed by anti-aircraft fire. RAF loses 8 fighters (4 pilots killed). Night bombing is widespread but London and Liverpool are the main targets. Italian Fiat BR20M bombers of the Corpo Aereo Italiano (Italian Air Corps) are in action again attacking Ramsgate.
At 9.30 AM, a boarding party from destroyer HMS Broke attaches tow ropes to the burning hulk of liner Empress of Britain which was bombed yesterday. Rescue tugs HMS Marauder and HMS Thames take Empress of Britain in tow towards the Clyde River in Scotland, escorted by destroyers HMS Broke and Sardonyx (with air cover from Sunderland flying boats until nightfall). However, U-32 vectors in on the small convoy, remaining submerged to avoid the Sunderlands.
70 miles Southeast of the Azores, Italian submarine Nani sinks Swedish steamer Meggie (all hands rescued).
Free French forces from Cameroon invade Vichy French Gabon (in French Equatorial Africa). They penetrate 70 miles and take the town of Mitzic.
Late in the evening, Italian ambassador in Athens Emanuele Grazzi issues an ultimatum from Mussolini, demanding that Italian troops be allowed occupy strategic points in Greece. Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas rejects the ultimatum, noting “Alors, c’est la guerre” (Then, it’s war). The Greeks know of the Italian plans and have already mobilized in the areas facing the expected attack.