Her parents were Edith Jane (née Dorman) and her husband Abraham James Bowe, who was a bricklayer.

They thought that they were going to the Middle East but en route they were redirected to England during the Battle for Britain.

In 1947 German and Italian prisoners of war and internees were still being returned to their home countries and Bowe was involved with their departure in November.

[1] In 1953 the Florence Nightingale Medal was given by the International Committee of the Red Cross to three Australian matrons, Melbourne's Edith Johnson, Brisbane's Sarah Charlotte MacDonald and Bowe.

She was succeeded by Edna Nell Doig as matron-in-chief and director of the army nursing service.