 In 1940/41 he served on the Q-ship HMS "Cyprus" (X44) (formerly "Cape Sable") and later commanded the corvette HMS "Snowdrop".His younger brother, Humphrey, rowed in the double scull event at the 1928 Olympic games and won double gold at the 1930 British Empire Games.Their father, Edward Thomas Boardman, was a Norwich architect, as was, their grandfather Edward Boardman.