 Backhouse became Director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty in September 1920 and then commanding officer of the battleship HMS "Malaya" in January 1923, before receiving promotion to rear admiral on 24 February 1925 and being given command of the 3rd Battle Squadron in May 1926.He became Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy in November 1928, and having been promoted to vice admiral on 9 October 1929, he became Commander of the 1st Battle Squadron and Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1932.Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1933 New Year Honours, he was promoted to full admiral on 11 February 1934 and became Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, with his flag in the battleship HMS "Nelson", on 20 August 1935.