His maternal grandfather, Alfred Burgoine, was a boat designer who built one of Queen Victoria's Royal Barges and a motor launch that held the world water speed record.

He joined Kingston Rowing Club in 1929, where his brothers Tom and Jack Offer were already members.

Offer worked in an insurance company in the City of London and had to take unpaid leave to be able to compete.

In spite of the difficulties in maintaining training during the six-week sea voyage to Australia they won the silver medal in the double sculls event.

[1] At the start of World War II, Offer was a volunteer fire-watcher on the River Thames until he gained his Commission in the Royal Navy and was employed on convoy escorts.