He escaped the prisoner of war camp and lived in hiding until he was able to gain passage on a Royal Navy boat to Egypt.
[1] Later promoted to lieutenant colonel, Dorney commanded the 2/3 Field Ambulance in Labuan and Borneo, and during the war was thrice mentioned in despatches (twice in Africa and once in New Guinea).
In 1952 he volunteered to serve in the Korean War, where he was a surgeon with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.
From 1960 to 1982 he was Chairman of the North Queensland Conference Committee of the Australian Medical Association, and he was also closely involved in the local Red Cross.
[1] Dorney was also involved in politics as a member of the Democratic Labor Party, standing several times as a candidate.