Private Frederick Boggis was born in St. Luke's, London and originally enlisted in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in November 1881, aged 19 years. Transferring to the Royal Sussex Regiment in July of the following year, he sailed for India with the 2nd Battalion in late 1885 and went on to witness active service in the Black Mountain Expedition of 1888. Returning to the U.K. in January of the following year, Boggis was discharged in November 1893.