George Bowen was born in Dulwich, London on 28 June 1900, the son of George John and Lilly Maud Bowen (née Bell). He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Artificer on 29 July 1916. After completing his Engine Room Artificer apprenticeship, he was drafted to the battleship HMS THUNDERER on 23 March 1921.

He joined HMS DOLPHIN for the Submarine Course on 29 October 1922 and then HMS K2 on 22 November 1922. He was then drafted to HMS L16 on 19 November 1925 and then HMS L18 on 11 May 1926. George Bowen then joined HMS L5 on 26 June 1929 and was promoted to Warrant Engineer on 1 April 1930.

On 1 April1931, George Bowen joined the cruiser HMS COLOMBO.

He was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN ‘for Submarines‘ on 11 August 1932. His next appointment was to HMS L52 as Engineer Officer to date 1 June 1933. He was appointed to HMS REGULUS as Engineer Officer on 1 January 1934. He was promoted to Commissioned Engineer and appointed to HMS THISTLE as Engineer Officer on 4 October 1938. On 7 April 1940, HMS THISTLE was ordered to a patrol are off southern Norway near Utsire. The submarine reported an unsuccessful attack on a U-Boat on 9 April, but nothing further was heard from HMS THISTLE which was assumed to have been lost with all hands.

George Bowen was the husband of Gwendoline Ethel Bowen (née Honeyman) of Portland, Dorset. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 37 Column No. 2.

NOTE:  A wreck discovered off Norway in early 2023 has recently (October 2023) been identified as that of HMS THISTLE.