Frederick Ross Boardman

Admiral Frederick Ross Boardman, C.B., Royal Navy, Retired (28 June, 1843 – 24 September, 1927) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Born the eldest son of Frederick Boardman of Liverpool in 1843, Boardman joined the Navy in January of 1856. He was made a Sub-Lieutenant in September, 1862.

Boardman was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 9 November, 1864. He was appointed as Flag Lieutenant in Repulse to Rear Admiral Hillyar, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific on 9 July, 1872.

Boardman was promoted to the rank of Commander on 24 September, 1873, and arrived back in England in Repulse on 21 October.

He was appointed in command of the composite gun vessel Template:UK-1Griffon on 25 September, 1877 and was commended for her "very creditable" inspection. He was praised for soundings he conducted of Delaware Shoal and Darien Rock in 1880 before finally paying off Griffon on 7 March, 1881. He was next appointed to command the dispatch vessel Salamis of the Channel Squadron on 15 October, 1881, having married Sophia Almon, daughter of Hon. James Cogwell of Hallifax, Nova Scotia, on 7 July.

Egyptian War

In 1882, Boardman took Salamis into the Mediterranean and participated in operations in the war in Egypt, being awarded the Egyptian medal and Khedive's Bronze Star for his services. The ship visited the port of Mahon in Minorca, Spain from 10-18 March, 1882 in company with the frigate Achilles.

Boardman was promoted to the rank of Captain with seniority of 31 December, 1882.

On 16 September, 1884, his service record states that he was "in command of whole of Navy of Nile during Khartoum Expedition (excepting Naval Brigade [dates illegible])". He arrived home at the end of August, 1885 and was appointed a Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 25 August, 1885, Lord Wolseley having reported that Boardman "helped us in fitting out our boats, in working them over the worst cataracts in the Nile, and in keeping open our line of communications over the river." These accomplishments resulted in an additional award for the Captain of the Nile 1884-5 clasp to his Egyptian medal.

In February, 1887, he was appointed in command of the Indian troopship Serapis.

Boardman was appointed to command Inconstant for the Annual Manoeuvres of 1890 on 22 July, 1890 until she paid off on 9 September. In April, 1891 he was sent to command the Belleisle, coast guard ship stationed in Kingstown in Ireland, soon thereafter moving to the newer Melampus. He remained in Irish waters in his next command, appointed in 1895 as Flag Captain to the Senior Officer, Coast of Ireland, in Warspite operating out of Kingstown. He would remain in command until 1898.

Flag Rank

Boardman was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 19 March, 1898, vice Rawson.

In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 22 February, 1870, Boardman was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 August, 1899.

He was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 30 May, 1903, and to the rank of Admiral on the Retired List on 8 February, 1907.

Boardman had two daughters and a son, Paymaster-Captain John Cogswell Boardman, who reported the Admiral's death to a cerebral haemorrhage on 24 September, 1929.

Bibliography

• "Admiral Boardman" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 26 September, 1927. Issue 44696, col A, p. 14.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/36.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/15.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Archibald L. Douglas	Captain of H.M.S. Serapis 11 Feb, 1887 – 22 Feb, 1890	Succeeded by Charles P. G. Hicks
Preceded by James L. Hammet	Captain of H.M.S. Arethusa 4 Jul, 1888 – 31 Aug, 1888	Succeeded by George T. H. Boyes
Preceded by Arthur C. H. Paget	Captain of H.M.S. Iris 18 Jul, 1889 – 14 Sep, 1889	Succeeded by Ernest N. Rolfe
Preceded by The Hon. Richard Hare	Captain of H.M.S. Belleisle 6 Apr, 1891 – 30 Apr, 1893	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by George V	Captain of H.M.S. Melampus 1 May, 1893 – 6 Apr, 1894	Succeeded by Charles P. G. Hicks
Preceded by Sir Baldwin W. Walker	Captain of H.M.S. Conqueror 18 Jul, 1894 – Aug, 1894	Succeeded by Frederick S. Pelham
Preceded by Robert F. Hammick	Captain of H.M.S. Warspite 24 May, 1895	Succeeded by A. Berkeley Milne
Preceded by Robert W. Stopford	Captain of H.M.S. Howe ? – 19 Mar, 1898	Succeeded by Edward H. M. Davis