When the Great War came, he paused his studies to join the British Army: he was mentioned in despatches four times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and the Military Cross (MC).

[5] Baddeley had been promoted from 2nd Lt to Acting Lieutenant-Colonel during the War, and a reference on him dated 7 January 1919, noted that he ‘Commanded the 8th East Surrey Regiment with conspicuous success ...

[9] He served his title (curacy) at St Bartholomew's Church, Armley until 1924, when he became Vicar of South Bank, North Yorkshire (where his curate was John Dickinson, later his assistant-bishop in Melanesia).

[1] Sending his wife and children to Adelaide, Baddeley himself remained in his diocese during World War II, paying particular attention to medical work among those injured in fighting with the Imperial Japanese Army.

[13] At the invitation of Henry St. George Tucker, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, he undertook a tour (1944–5) of the United States;[1] he received an honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology (Hon STD) degree from Columbia University in 1944 and the Medal of Freedom in 1945.

[1] He died in post at Bishop's House, Salesbury (Clayton-le-Dale, Lancashire) and his funeral was at Blackburn Cathedral on 15 February 1960, officiated by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of York.