Born on 11 August 1903 in Hong Kong, he was the first child of Richard Octavius Boon, CBE, a civil servant, and Emily Mary Fothergill. He was educated at Edgecliffe Preparatory School in Sydney, Australia and at St Paul's School London. He then became one of the most distinguished students at St Thomas's Hospital. He obtained the Conjoint Diploma in 1924 and by the time he graduated MB BS with honours in surgery in 1925, he had won every available surgical prize, including the Cheselden Medal and the Beany Scholarship. He was house surgeon to Sir Percy Sargent and to Sir Max Page, surgical registrar and resident assistant surgeon. He became FRCS in 1928 and MS with gold medal in 1930. He was elected assistant surgeon to St Thomas's Hospital in 1934 and became full surgeon in 1949. Boggon was a general surgeon with a special interest in abdominal and rectal surgery. When colleagues or their families needed surgical advice or treatment, they usually went to him, attracted by his kindness, conscientiousness and clinical operative skill. A shy, reserved man, he contributed little to journals and was not a popular lecturer but he was well known to students for his bedside clinical teaching. In his latter years he became somewhat withdrawn and more difficult to communicate with. He was a staunch supporter of St Thomas's Rugby Club and was its president for many years. In 1932, he married Mollie Daphne, daughter of T H Newall. He died on 5 January 1983, in his 80th year, survived by his wife, his daughter who was a nurse, and his son, Richard Boggon, FRCS, consultant surgeon. His wife died on 13 March 1985.