He was educated at King's College Hospital, where he served as house surgeon, house physician, and clinical assistant. After holding other resident posts and a period as second assistant at the Central London Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, he was surgical registrar at Willesden General Hospital. Powell qualified through the Society of Apothecaries in 1914. During the war of 1914-18 he served in the RAMC with the rank of captain, gazetted 16 December 1915. He took the Conjoint qualification in 1921, but did not proceed to the Fellowship till 1935, when he was practising at 106 Harley Street. Later he lived at 62 North Street, Sudbury, Suffolk, where he died on 27 April 1951, aged 60. Publications: Chronic appendicitis. *Med Press*, 1935, 191, 48. Diverticulosis of appendix. *Ibid* p 387.