Robert Boddington was born in Hereford in 1916, the son of Frank and Evelyn Frances Berkeley Boddington (née Crick). He was educated at Rugby.

He entered the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, as a Cadet on 1 September 1933. Promoted to Midshipman on 1 May 1934, he was appointed to the cruiser HMS KENT on 25 May 1934 and was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on 1 September 1935.

He joined HMS DOLPHIN for submarines on 30 August 1937. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 February 1938 and joined HMS ROVER as the Navigator on 15 April 1938. Appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS LUCIA on 15 November 1940. Robert Boddington then joined HMS OBERON as First Lieutenant on 11 July 1941.

He was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for his Commanding Officers Qualifying Course on 5 January 1942 and next joined the Submarine Depot Ship HMS FORTH on 21 February 1942. He then served in HMS TRIDENT as First Lieutenant from 23 February 1942 and then in HMS H28 in command from 30 March 1942. He received a Mention in Despatches (London Gazette of 16 June 1942) “for skill and daring in a surface attack by HMS TRIDENT on the Prinz Eugen and escorting destroyers“.

Robert Boddington was appointed to HMS UNIQUE in command on 18 June 1942. UNIQUE sailed from the Holy Loch on 7 October 1942 with orders to patrol in the Bay of Biscay whilst on passage from Britain to Gibraltar. UNIQUE was escorted as far as Land’s End on 9 October but was never heard from again. UNIQUE was reported overdue on 24 October 1942 having failed to arrive at Gibraltar. It is possible that UNIQUE was lost on 13 October 1942 in a failed attack on the German tanker Spichern, in position 46°54’N, 06°03’W, after being damaged by a premature explosion of one of her own torpedoes. There were no survivors.

Robert Boddington was the husband of Heather Elizabeth Boddington and the father of Christopher Boddington and Angela Boddington. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 62, Column 1.