Hainaut

The aircraft was engaged in a local training flight at Charleroi-Gosselies Airport and was carrying a crew of three (one instructor and two student pilots) who just landed from Brussels. Both students were going to practice ILS approaches to runway 25 at Charleroi-Gosselies Airport (CRL) followed by a touch-and-go. The initial six approaches were uneventful. The students then changed seats. The second student's first approach and touch-and-go were uneventful. During the second touch-and-go a flock of birds (ring doves) were observed crossing the runway. Several birds were ingested as the airplane was rotating. The instructor took over control and attempted to continue takeoff. The airplane failed to respond to his control inputs and seemed to decelerate. He then decided to abort the takeoff. There was insufficient runway length available so the Boeing overran, struck localizer antennas and skidded. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames on a road located about 320 meters past the runway end. All three occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The hydraulic system failed en route from Lourdes to Antwerp. The crew received the permission to divert to Chièvres AFB for an emergency landing. After touchdown, the brakes were inoperative. The aircraft veered off runway and eventually collided with a ground vehicle before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane left Chièvres Airbase with a second C-119 registered CP-23 for a local combined training exercise. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, both aircraft collided and crashed in a field located in Montignies-lez-Lens, some 6 km east of the airbase. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 13 crew members were killed.
Crew CP-23:
Cpt Jules Gerard,
Cpt Albert Vermeerbergen,
Cdt André Bolle,
Adj Gilbert Deneef,
S/Maj David Vandemeersche
Crew CP-25:
Sgt José Decaigny,
Adj Alfred Donckier,
Cpt Yvan Passchiersens,
Sgt Camille Bauvois,
Adj Gilbert François,
Adj Romeo Decot,
Sgt Raoul Depoorter,
S/Maj Florimont Delroeux.

The airplane left Chièvres Airbase with a second C-119 registered CP-25 for a local combined training exercise. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, both aircraft collided and crashed in a field located in Montignies-lez-Lens, some 6 km east of the airbase. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 13 crew members were killed.
Crew CP-23:
Cpt Jules Gerard,
Cpt Albert Vermeerbergen,
Cdt André Bolle,
Adj Gilbert Deneef,
S/Maj David Vandemeersche
Crew CP-25:
Sgt José Decaigny,
Adj Alfred Donckier,
Cpt Yvan Passchiersens,
Sgt Camille Bauvois,
Adj Gilbert François,
Adj Romeo Decot,
Sgt Raoul Depoorter,
S/Maj Florimont Delroeux.

Crash landed at Chièvres AFB. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The twin engine airplane departed Brussels Airport at 1157LT on a mail flight to Paris-Le Bourget, carrying two crew members and a load of newspapers. After takeoff, the crew climbed to the altitude of 4,000 feet. Few minutes later, after being cleared to climb to 6,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The airplane entered clouds and both engines lost power due to icing. The pilot decided to return to Brussels and reduced his altitude. Once at a height of about 200 feet on descent, he established a visual contact with the ground and completed an emergency belly landing in a pasture. The airplane slid for few dozen metres and eventually collided with the annex of a house. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both crew members were injured.

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Charleroi, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
S/Sgt William G. Carter,
T/Sgt George E. Morris,
1st Lt Vincent K. Prince.

The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2349LT on July 13 on an operation to Aachen. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Froidchapelle. Three crew members were killed, three evaded and two became PoW.
Crew (78 Sq):
W/O Kenneth Alan Toon, pilot, †
Sgt D. W. G. Cowell, pilot,
Sgt L. G. Donaldson, flight engineer,
Sgt R. Falcus, navigator,
P/O H. J. Burridge, bomb aimer, †
Sgt R. Falcus, wireless operator,
Sgt G. M. Campbell, air gunner,
F/Lt John Douglas Nesbitt, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Leconfield at 0001LT on an operation to Aachen. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Baudour, killing the entire crew.
Crew (466 Sq):
F/Sgt William Alfred Gunning, pilot,
Sgt Herbert Charles Jordan, flight engineer,
Sgt Rex Feakes, navigator,
Sgt Donald Walpole Covell, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Francis Cummins, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2327LT on July 3 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rance. Five crew members were killed, one evaded and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Stephen Garnham, pilot, †
Sgt Ronald Frank Knight, flight engineer, †
Sgt Andrew Giblin, navigator,
F/O Harry Arthur Nock, bomb aimer,
Sgt Alfred Thomas Bishop, wireless operator, †
Sgt Joseph John Costello, air gunner, †
Sgt Roy Ernest Debben, air gunner. †