Edward Bowles was born in Harwich, Essex on 4 March 1887, the son of Mr and Mrs E J Bowles. He joined the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer Fourth Class on 21 October 1909.

After service in the battleship HMS LORD NELSON and the cruisers HMS SAPPHIRE and HMS St GEORGE, he joined submarines on 27 January 1911. He then served in the Submarine Depot Ships HMS THAMES and HMS BONAVENTURE and then in HMS C4 from 5 August 1914 to 19 October 1915. This was followed by HMS C2 from 20 October 1915 to 17 February 1916. He was drafted to the Submarine Dept Ship HMS MAIDSTONE on 18 February 1916.

By 6 May 1917 he had been promoted to Engine Room Artificer Second Class and he was further promoted to Mate (E) on 7 May 1917. On 6 November 1918, he was appointed to HMS K3 as Engineering Officer. Edward Bowles was promoted to Lieutenant (E) on 7 May 1919, and this was followed by an appointment to HMS K5 as Engineering Officer on 27 October 1919.

HMS K5 was lost with all hands whilst diving to attack battle cruisers during a tactical exercise in the Western Approaches on 20 January 1921. The reason for the loss was not established but it was thought that the submarine accidentally exceeded her safe diving depth.

Edward Bowles was the husband of Violet Bowles of Dovercourt, Essex. He is commemorated on the Devonport Naval Memorial on Panel No. 32.