 Hammond was posted to a training wing of the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) at Hastings in Sussex before he moved with his unit to Torquay . He had mainly administrative duties , including instructing recruits , for whom he made life hard . He played some games of cricket in 1940 for various teams before being posted to Cairo in December . His responsibilities in Egypt included organising , promoting and playing in cricket matches . Posted there until 1943 , he was promoted to flight lieutenant and then to squadron leader . While Hammond may have helped to raise morale , Cairo was an easy posting during the war and he was not involved directly in combat . He also spent much time in South Africa , where he played cricket and was reunited with Sybil Ness @-@ Harvey . At the beginning of 1944 , Hammond was posted back to England , where he lectured and drilled cadets . Playing as captain in many one @-@ day cricket matches , he was praised by Wisden for encouraging exciting contests . Others applauded his batting , including his hitting of many sixes , fitting the games ' relaxed atmosphere . In December 1944 , Hammond , suffering from fibrositis , was discharged from the RAFVR on health grounds and returned to work at Marsham Tyres . Once the war ended in Europe in May 1945 , several first @-@ class matches were organised . Hammond played in six , scoring 592 runs at an average of 59 @.@ 20 with two centuries . In a match for an England team against the Dominions at Lord 's , he made a century in each innings , becoming the first man to do this seven times . 
