Background
Bowen was born in Sholing, Southampton and educated at Sholing School.
Bowen was born in Sholing, Southampton and educated at Sholing School.
After playing for the school and Sholing Saint Mary"s, he spent a short spell as a trainee at Crystal Palace before returning to his home-town club in September 1934. He spent the first two seasons with the "Saints" in the reserves, making over 90 appearances, before replacing Donovan Browning for the last two matches of the 1936-1937 season, away to Barnsley (lost 2–1) and at home to Nottingham Forest (lost 3–0). During the summer of 1937, Bowen obtained a place at the Metropolitan Police training college at Hendon.
During World World War II, Bowen was on duty in Southampton when he came upon a group of drunken revellers.
Amongst the men he admonished was a former Saints team-mate, Billy Boyd.