On arrival in Sydney on 6 September 1940, the first Australian on board was medical army officer Alan Frost. He was appalled and his subsequent report led to the court martial of the officer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel William Scott. Scott was "severely reprimanded" as was Sgt Helliwell. RSM Bowles was reduced to the ranks and given a twelve-month prison sentence and then discharged from the British Army. After leaving the "Dunera" the pale and emaciated refugees were transported through the night by train west of Sydney to the rural town of Hay in central New South Wales.