 He became Flag Commander to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet first in HMS "Neptune" from March 1911 and then in HMS "Iron Duke" from March 1914.Backhouse served in the First World War, earning promotion to captain on 1 September 1914, and being appointed commanding officer of the light cruiser in the Harwich Force in November 1915 before being given command of the battle cruiser , flagship of the Battle Cruiser force, in November 1916.He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on 4 June 1917.