  The number of well-studied early-type pre-main-sequence objects is very
limited, hampering the study of massive star formation from an observational
point of view. Here, we present the results of VLT/FORS2 spectropolarimetric
and VLT/X-shooter spectroscopic observations of two recently recognised
candidate Herbig Be stars, PDS 27 and PDS 37. Through analysis of spectral
lines and photometry, we find that these two objects are hot, 17500 $\pm$
3500~K, have large radii, 17.0 $\pm$ 4.0 and 25.8 $\pm$ 5.0~${\rm R}_\odot$,
and are very massive, 15.3 (+5.4, -4.4) and 21.1 (+11.0, -5.3)~M$_{\odot}$ for
PDS 27 and PDS 37, respectively. This suggests that these two objects are very
young in their evolution and may become O-type stars. Their youth is supported
by their high accretion rates of the order of $10^{-3}$--$10^{-4.5}~{\rm
M}_\odot$/yr. A change in linear polarisation across the absorption component
of H$\alpha$ is detected in both objects. This change indicates that the
circumstellar environment close to the star, at scales of several stellar
radii, has a flattened structure, which we identify as an inner accretion disk.
Strong variability is seen in both objects in many lines as further indication
of an active circumstellar environment.
