Maud took over as captain of the destroyer in September 1942 when her captain, Jack Eaton, was ill. While covering the return of the Russian convoy PQ-18, "Somali" was torpedoed by on 20 September. She was hit in her engine room and although taken under tow by , on 25 September heavy weather broke the destroyer's back and she sank. Maud was rescued by Leading Seaman William Goad, who dived into the freezing water with a rope, for which Goad was awarded the Albert Medal. Of the 102 men on board, only 35 were rescued. Maud had spent an hour in the Arctic water and credited his survival to the fact that he had drunk a bottle of whisky after going overboard. As a result, he ordered men under his command to carry a bottle of whisky, which proved to be a popular order. On 1 December 1942 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.