Edward Henry Walford Backhouse

Brigadier Edward Henry Walford Backhouse (7 February 1895 – 20 November 1973) was a British Army officer who served in both world wars and was unlucky enough to have been taken prisoner in both conflicts. Early life Backhouse was born in Suffolk, the son of Rev. Edward Bell Backhouse and Mary Anne Emmeline Walford. He was educated at St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate, before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Military career Upon passing out from Sandhurst, Backhouse was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Suffolk Regiment, a line infantry regiment of the British Army, on 25 February 1914. Three of his fellow graduates were Eric Dorman-Smith, Ronald Scobie and Gerard Bucknall. He was posted to the regiment's 2nd Battalion, then stationed in Curragh, Ireland, as part of the 14th Brigade of Major-General Charles Fergusson's 5th Division. Sent to France with his battalion in the opening stages of the First World War in mid-August 1914, he was wounded and captured at the Battle of Le Cateau on 26 August, less than a month after the outbreak of war. He was promoted to captain on 1 January 1917, while still a prisoner of war (POW). Following his release after the end of the war, Backhouse returned to service with the Suffolk Regiment. Between 1927 and 1928 he attended the Staff College, Camberley, and from 1929 to 1932 he was a staff captain in Southern Command. He then served as a brigade major of the 10th Infantry Brigade before becoming Officer commanding (OC), Depot Suffolk Regiment in 1934. Between 1936 and 1938 Backhouse held various positions at the War Office, and from 1938 to 1939 he was Commanding officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.