 All went well until two days from their destination, when steering gear problems briefly disabled first "Heron", and then "Auk"; each time "Oriole's" took them under tow.Ultimately, the four minesweepers reached Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, on 29 April 1919, shortly after the Minesweeping Detachment flagship, the destroyer tender ("Destroyer Tender No.9"), had arrived to establish headquarters there for the ensuing operations.