Alan Carles was born in Hankow, China on 1 February 1894, the son of William Richard Carles (the British Consul) and Helen Maude Carles (née James). He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 January 1907. He was promoted to Midshipman on 15 September 1911 and appointed to the battleship HMS FORMIDABLE. On 14 May 1912 he was appointed to the battleship HMS COMMONWEALTH. He was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on 15 January 1914. Alan Carles was appointed to the Torpedo Boat Destroyer HMS COQUETTE on 29 July 1914 and then the Torpedo Boat Destroyer HMS SHARK on 4 December 1914. He was promoted to Lieutenant in September 1915.

His next appointment was to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS ARROGANT for submarine training on 22 September 1915 and to HMS C17 as First Lieutenant on 7 October 1915. On 1 April 1916 he was appointed to HMS E22 as First Lieutenant. E22 was sunk in the North Sea on 25 April 1916 after being torpedoed by the U-Boat UB-18. Alan Carles, who had just arrived on the bridge at the time that the submarine was torpedoed, was reported to have been wounded in the head and face. He survived the sinking but lost consciousness in the water and drowned before rescue arrived.

Alan Carles is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 11.