Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Henry Bowley a farmer, born 1866 in Whitwick, Leics., and his wife Sarah J., born 1866 in Market Overton, Rutland. James was born in 1895 in Shepshed, Leics., his siblings were Elsie, born 1891, Lily, born 1892 and Harry, born 1894, all his siblings were born in Shepshed, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Hathern Hill, Hathern, Leics. In April 1911 James was employed as a farm worker and was residing in the family home at Hathen Hill, Hathern, Leics., together with his widowed father and siblings, Elsie, Lily and Harry.