▁age ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁College ▁in ▁D art mouth , ▁but ▁although ▁highly ▁intellig ent ▁and ▁an ▁enthus i astic ▁sports man , ▁he ▁suffered ▁from ▁a ▁weak ▁constitution , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁j au nd ice . ▁With ▁the ▁str enu ous ▁nature ▁of ▁a ▁naval ▁career ▁un su itable , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁W ool wich ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁as ▁an ▁officer ▁cad et . ▁A ▁clever ▁invent or , ▁Haw ker ▁developed ▁a ▁keen ▁interest ▁in ▁all ▁mechanical ▁and ▁engineering ▁develop ments . ▁During ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁he ▁saw ▁a ▁film ▁featuring ▁the ▁Wright ▁Fly er ▁and ▁after ▁att ending ▁an ▁aircraft ▁flying ▁display ▁at ▁B ourn em outh , ▁he ▁quickly ▁found ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁av iation , ▁learning ▁to ▁fly ▁at ▁his ▁own ▁exp ense ▁at ▁Hend on . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 3 , ▁Haw ker ▁was ▁awarded ▁A vi ator ' s ▁Cert ificate ▁No . ▁ 4 3 5 ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁A ero ▁Club . ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁ 1 st ▁Lieutenant ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁he ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁C ork ▁Har bour ▁with ▁the ▁ 3 3 rd ▁Fort ress ▁Company . ▁His ▁request ▁for ▁attachment ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Corps ▁was ▁granted ▁and ▁he ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁Central ▁F lying ▁School ▁at ▁Up av on ▁on ▁ 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 .