 She was damaged in a collision with a merchant vessel on 17 January whilst escorting Convoy ON18 , causing a twenty @-@ foot hole in her side but fortunately she did not sink and was taken under tow . After temporary repairs at Invergordon , she was towed to Grangemouth for repairs that were not completed until 22 July . She carried out post @-@ refit trials and returned to Scapa Flow to rejoin the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla . She transferred to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla based at Gibraltar in October , escorting the aircraft carrier Ark Royal , Barham , the heavy cruiser Berwick , and the light cruisers Glasgow and Sheffield from the Firth of Clyde to Gibraltar . Joining Force H , she escorted Ark Royal during Operation Coat , the carrier Argus when she flew off Hawker Hurricane fighters to Malta during Operation White and escorted Force F to Malta during Collar during November . During the Battle of Cape Spartivento in late November , Duncan was detailed to escort the convoy away from the Italians . 
