Percy William Bowden was the son of Harry William and Florence Mary Bowden, of Midford, Somerset. He enlisted into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and volunteered for airborne forces.

Private Bowden successfully completed glider training and was posted to 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, and took part in Operation Overlord (Normandy).

Pte Bowden was killed in action on 7 June 1944, aged 22, and was given a field burial at Escoville, France and was re-interred to Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France on 28 June 1945.