This account from "They Shall Grow Not Old" is under the listing for Hamer, Jack Thomas FS (AG) R118223 from Vancouver, British, Columbia KIA Aug. 28/43 age 23.  #428 Ghost Squadron (Usque Ad Finem).  Halifax a/c EB 216 mia during night of ops against Nuremburg.

The Navigator G.S. Brown of Kelowna, B.C. reported,"We were a mixed crew flying from Middleton St. George on #428 Squadron.  The crew members were Alex Mitchell (Pilot) from Scotland, Char;les Lott (WAG) from England, myself, Cletus Lunny (BA) from Quebec and Jack Hamer (AG) from B.C. As we had just converted to the Halifax bomber from Wellingtons we had two additional crew members both from England.  We were senior crew on the Squadron and as such had a second dickie who had just arrived on the Squadron.  His name was J.A.M. Mcleish of Ontario."

"We were shot down by the pilot of a Dornier 217 at 0145 about 40 miles before reaching the target.  Mcleish was killed instantly by 20 mm cannon fire.  Lunny was badly wounded.  I counted 9 cannon holes in him.  He baled out, almost too late, just before our bombs exploded.  I* bailed out at 18,000 feet.  On landing I was immediately taken POW and was held at Stalag IV B at Muhlberg-on-Elbe until liberated by the Russians on Apriol 23, 1945."

"Alex Mitchell was killed instantly by cannon fire as were the Engineer and MUAG.  Charles Lott who baled out bailed out uninjured and was also a POW.  I spoke to the German Pilot who had shot us down and he said that early that afternoon they had receieved word of our target and our route to the target.  This gave them time to fly to a large aerodrome near Crailshem, refuel and get up to our height to intercept us.  The Flt. Eng. was Sgt. H.A. Gordon (RAF) and the MUAG was Sgt. A.E.E. Gourd (RAF)"

Flt. Sgt. Air Gunner Hamer is buried in the War Cemetery, Durnbach, Germany.

Hope this account transcribed as written in the RCAF Memorial Book is of interest even though it doesn't directly answer your question.  It provides some insight into what must have been a very terrible and awful night for all those involved.  If I encounter more through other sources I will pass it on.

Bob

You are most welcome.  My apologies for the few typos in the text.  My two-fingered hunt & peck typing skills and not having my specs on are entirely to blame. 

The listing for Pilot (2nd Dickie) F/O McLeish in the tome reads:

McLeish, John Alexander MacTavish F/O (P) J9562 KIA Aug. 28/43 age 23 from Hamilton, Ontario (with reference to Hamer, J.T. for casualty list and flight details).  Flying Officer Pilot McLeish is buried in the War Cemetery at Durnbach, Germany.

Just a guess but it seems that the Squadron was converted to the four-engined Halifax from the twin-engined Wellington and the Mitchell crew may have had numerous Ops together on the Wimpey prior to this fateful night flight.  The description of them as being a senior crew would allude to that and also the reason they flew with a "second dickie" that night.  The purpose generally being to give a "sprog" pilot the exposure and experience with a seasoned crew and thereby having one or two operational missions under his belt before taking his own crew on ops.

If someone is able to access the 428 Squadron station logs or you are able to access an Airman's Log book of one of the original crew members you might be able to ascertain that detail.

Best of luck in your quest.

Bob