In the course of the race, Harry, who was sixth to start, passed Baumann before reaching the first turning-point, Kempton Park. As a matter of fact, Baumann landed and dropped out of the contest about half a mile before Kempton Park. Between there and Epsom, the second turning-point, Harry passed Verrier and caught up Hucks, with whom he was now one minute behind Raynham and half a minute behind Brock; and so when Epsom was reached he was flying neck-to-neck with Hucks to decide which of them should assume the third position. By the time West Thurrock, the third control, was reached, Harry had got it, both Hucks and Brock being left behind on their monoplanes. But although he had passed Brock, Harry was still only third, for Hamel had bounded up and was one minute and a half ahead. Raynham still led Hamel by half a minute. Behind Harry was Barnwell, only one minute’s flight away. Before Epping was reached Hamel had trouble with his petrol tap, and pluckily continued his flight, using one finger as a plug. At Epping, Harry had caught Raynham, and Barnwell led them both by about one minute. Hamel had dropped behind through the inconvenience of having to be a human plug for his petrol pipe. Nevertheless, when Hertford, the final turning-point, was reached, Hamel, with another burst of speed, was forcing his way past Barnwell, with Harry close behind, steadily gaining on Raynham. In the end Hamel won an exceptionally good race at an average speed of 76 miles per hour; Barnwell was second with 72.5 miles per hour to his credit; and Harry finished third at 67 miles per hour, beating Raynham by a few seconds.
In the Shell Sealed Handicap flown in conjunction with the Aerial Derby, Harry was fourth, Hucks, Barnwell and Brock taking precedence in the order named. Hamel, the scratch man, of course deserved to win the handicap, seeing that not only was he first home in the Derby, but also that he accomplished this under very great difficulties.
The day was marred by an unfortunate occurrence in which Mr. Pickles sustained a broken limb and internal injuries, and Mrs. de Beauvoir Stocks severe concussion, through side-slipping in a Champel biplane shortly after the race.
In the October Aeroplane Cross Country Handicap, held at Brooklands on Saturday, October 4th, 1913, Harry on an 80 h.p. Gnome Sopwith Tractor biplane was one of sixteen entrants, of whom only six started owing to rain and minor mishaps. He was second to Merriam, Barnwell and Knight being third and fourth respectively. On the Sunday, Harry made many exhibition flights in dull weather, and expressed his versatility by flying both 80 h.p. Gnome and 100 h.p. Green biplanes.
Wednesday, October 8th, was an unlucky day, for in attempting to start for the British Michelin prize, Harry crashed. At first it was thought to be serious, but at the Weybridge Cottage Hospital he was found to have escaped with only a severe shaking. By Monday he was fit and well. The Royal Aero Club issued a notice to members on October 18th which read:
“Mr. H. G. Hawker.
“Mr. H. G. Hawker, who met with an accident at Brooklands last week, has now recovered. He visited the club on Tuesday last, and is quite fit again.”
The accident occurred through his trying to cross over trees, houses, and other obstructions at too low an altitude, he having left the aerodrome without doing a preliminary circuit to gain altitude. There was a fairly strong breeze blowing at the time, and the configuration of the ground and the trees caused gusts. The machine dived to the ground and struck one of the banks of the River Wey where it approaches Brooklands track towards Cobham. The impact was slightly out of the straight, and the force was relieved by the breaking up of one wing. Harry received strains to his back, but was prevented from flying for only ten days. He was busy installing the 100 h.p. Green into the Sopwith in preparation for further Michelin attempts on October 25th.
In the 1913 competition for the British Empire Michelin Cup No. 1 and the £500 Prize, he had extraordinarily bad luck. The competition was originally to have ended on October 31st, but the donors of the prize, in consideration of the fact that by that date Harry’s attempt, when he crashed at the start on October 8th, was the only one that had been made, postponed the closing date until November 14th. In the meantime Harry made another effort on October 31st. After flying for three hours and travelling a distance of about 220 miles in twelve stages between Brooklands and Hendon on a 100 h.p. Green-engined Sopwith, he was obliged to alight owing to a very violent headache. This attempt could not therefore be recognised, as the minimum qualifying distance to be covered was 300 miles. Two days before the closing date, the competition was won by Harry’s rival, R. H. Carr, on a Grahame-White five-seater biplane fitted with the late S. F. Cody’s 100 h.p. Green engine. On the last day of the competition Harry attempted to beat Carr’s effort, but the weather was too rough, and the flight had to be abandoned in consequence.