SMS Helgoland (1912)
Encyclopedia
SMS HelgolandIn German
, "SMS" means "Seiner Majestät Schiff" (in English: "His Majesty's Ship"). was a Novara-class scout cruiser
built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy
right before World War I
. Helgoland participated in several raids on the ships defending the Strait of Otranto
, including the Battle of the Strait of Otranto
in May 1917. She was transferred to Italy in 1920 in accordance with the peace treaties ending World War I and renamed Brindisi. After modifications, the ship was assigned to the squadron responsible for the Eastern Mediterranean until 1924. She spent the next five years based in Libya
and Italy before Brindisi was disarmed and turned into a depot ship
in 1929. The ship was stricken from the Navy List
in 1937 and later disposed of.
of 12.79 metre. Helgoland had a mean draft of 4.6 metre and displaced 3500 tonnes (3,444.7 LT) at normal load. At deep load, she displaced 4017 tonnes (3,953.5 LT). Her propulsion system consisted of two sets of AEG
-Curtis steam turbine
s driving two propeller shafts. They were designed to provide 25600 shp and were powered by 16 Yarrow
water-tube boiler
s. These gave the ship a top speed of 27 knots (14.7 m/s). Helgoland carried about 710 tonnes (698.8 LT) of coal that gave her a range of approximately 1600 nautical miles (2,963.2 km) at 24 knots (13.1 m/s). The ship had a crew of 340 officers and men.
Helgoland was armed with nine 50-caliber
10 centimetres (3.9 in) guns in single pedestal mounts. Three were placed forward on the forecastle
, four were located amidships, two on either side, and two were side by side on the quarterdeck
. A 50-caliber 6.6 centimetres (2.6 in) anti-aircraft gun and six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tube
s in twin mounts were added in 1917. The navy planned to remove the guns on the forecastle and quarterdeck and replace them with a 15 centimetres (5.9 in) guns fore and aft, but nothing was done before the end of the war.
The ship was protected by a waterline armored belt that was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick amidships. The conning tower
had 60 mm thick sides, and the deck was 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) thick.
at the Danubius shipyard in Fiume on 28 October 1911 and was launched
on 23 November 1912. The ship was completed on 5 September 1914.
In late 1915, the Austro-Hungarian Navy began a series of raids against the merchant ships supplying Allied
forces in Serbia
and Montenegro
. Helgoland, together with five destroyers, participated in one of these raids at the end of December. They sank a French submarine
between Brindisi
and the Albania
n port of Durazzo on 28 December and the destroyers attacked shipping in Durazzo the following morning. Two of the destroyers struck mines
while after sinking several ships in the port and had to be abandoned. The Austro-Hungarians managed to evade the Allied pursuit only when darkness fell. On the night of 31 May/1 June 1916, the ship covered a raid by two destroyers and three torpedo boat
s on the drifter
s defending the Strait of Otranto
against submarines trying to exit the Adriatic Sea
.
Erich Heyssler assumed command of Helgoland in April 1917 and Miklós Horthy
planned another raid on the drifters using a force composed of the three Novara-class cruisers. The three cruisers were to attack separately while two destroyers made a diversionary attack on the drifters near the Albanian coast. On the night of 14 May, the ships departed port and managed to pass through the line of drifters in the darkness without being identified. As the sounds from the diversionary attack were heard, the drifters released their nets and began to head towards Otranto
. Helgoland turned around and attacked the westernmost group of drifters as dawn began on the morning of 15 May. Between the three cruisers, they sank 14 drifters and badly damaged an additional four. The skipper of the drifter Gowan Lea, Joseph Watt
, refused to surrender and abandon ship when demanded by Helgoland, despite the cruiser only being 100 yards (91.4 m) away. Watt's crew only managed to fire one shot before their single 57 mm (2.2 in) six-pounder gun was disabled. Watt's refusal to surrender in the face of overwhelming odds was recognized after the battle by the award of the Victoria Cross
.
Helgoland did not linger to ensure that Gowan Lea was sunk, but proceeded to attack other drifters. She did, however, pause briefly to rescue 18 survivors from other drifters before turning for home. The Austrian ships were first contacted during their retreat by a group of three French destroyers led by a small Italian scout cruiser, Carlo Mirabello, but the heavier guns of the Austrian ships dissuaded the Allied commander from closing the range. They were intercepted shortly afterward by a stronger group of two British protected cruiser
s, and , escorted by four Italian destroyers. Dartmouth opened fire with her 6 inches (15 cm) guns at a range of 10600 yards (9,692.6 m) and Horthy ordered his ships to make smoke several minutes later. This nearly caused the three Austrian cruisers to collide in the dense smoke, but covered them against the fire from the British ships as they closed the range. When they emerged, the Austrian ships were only about 4900 yards (4,480.6 m) from the British, a range much more suitable for the smaller Austrian guns.
The three cruisers were gradually drawing away from their pursuers when Novara, leading the Austrian ships, was hit several times; most critically in the engine room that knocked out half her boilers. Helgoland was also hit five times, but not seriously, aside from one gun disabled. One crewman had been killed and 16 were wounded. The British ships turned away, around the time that Novara had to extinguish her remaining boilers and went dead in the water, upon learning that more Austrian ships were approaching. was preparing to take Novara under tow when several Italian destroyers attacked in succession. The weight of fire from the three cruisers prevented them from closing to torpedo range and they scored no hits. The Allied ship returned to Brindisi and the Austrians slowly proceeded back to base. Helgoland had fired 1052 shells from her 10 cm guns. Heyssler received the Order of Leopold
with crossed swords in recognition of his leadership during the battle.
Helgoland and six destroyers attempted to duplicate the success of the earlier raid on 18–19 October, but they were spotted by Italian aircraft and turned back in the face of substantial Allied reinforcements alerted by the aircraft. The ship was tasked to participate in a major attack on the Allied ships defending the Strait of Otranto on 11 June 1918, but it was called off after the dreadnought
was sunk by an Italian motor torpedo boat
en route to the rendezvous for the operation.
, Tunisia
, when the transfer was made, the ship reached La Spezia
on 26 October where she was assigned to the Scouting Group (Gruppo Esploratori). The ship was modified to suit the Italians at La Spezia from 6 April to 16 June 1921 before she entered service. She became the flagship of Rear Admiral
Massimiliano Lovatelli, commander of the Light Squadron, upon recommissioning. Brindisi sailed for Istanbul
on 3 July, visiting a number of ports in Italy, Greece, and Turkey en route. She relieved the armored cruiser
as flagship of the Eastern Squadron upon her arrival on 16 July. The ship was replaced as flagship on 6 October and remained assigned to the Eastern Squadron until she returned to Italy on 7 January 1924.
Brindisi hosted King Victor Emmanuel III
aboard during the ceremonies that transferred Fiume to Italian control in accordance with the Treaty of Rome in February–March 1924. The ship was then transferred to Libya where she spent the next year. Brindisi returned to Italy the following year and was briefly assigned to the Scout Squadron on 1 April 1926 before she was placed in reserve on 26 July. The ship was reactivated on 1 June 1927 when she was assigned as the flagship of the 1st Destroyer Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral Enrico Cuturi. Six months later, she was relieved as flagship and was transferred to the Special Squadron where she became flagship of Rear Admiral Antonio Foschini on 6 June 1928. In May–June 1929, Brindisi made a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean where she visited ports in Greece and the Dodecanese Islands. Rear Admiral Salvatore Denti relieved Foschini on 15 October and the ship was disarmed on 26 November. She was used as a depot ship at Ancona
, Pola
, and Trieste
until she was stricken from the Navy List on 11 March 1937.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, "SMS" means "Seiner Majestät Schiff" (in English: "His Majesty's Ship"). was a Novara-class scout cruiser
Scout cruiser
A scout cruiser was a type of warship of the early 20th Century, which were smaller, faster, more lightly armed and armoured than protected cruisers or light cruisers, but larger than contemporary destroyers...
built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
right before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Helgoland participated in several raids on the ships defending the Strait of Otranto
Strait of Otranto
The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. Its width at Punta Palascìa, east of Salento is less than . The strait is named after the Italian city of Otranto.- History :...
, including the Battle of the Strait of Otranto
Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1917)
The 1917 Battle of the Strait of Otranto was the result of an Austro-Hungarian raid on the Otranto Barrage, an Allied naval blockade of the Strait of Otranto. The battle took place on 14–15 May 1917, and was the largest surface action in the Adriatic Sea during World War I...
in May 1917. She was transferred to Italy in 1920 in accordance with the peace treaties ending World War I and renamed Brindisi. After modifications, the ship was assigned to the squadron responsible for the Eastern Mediterranean until 1924. She spent the next five years based in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Italy before Brindisi was disarmed and turned into a depot ship
Depot ship
A depot ship is a ship which acts as a mobile or fixed base for other ships and submarines or supports a naval base. Depot ships may be specifically designed for their purpose or be converted from another purpose...
in 1929. The ship was stricken from the Navy List
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
in 1937 and later disposed of.
Design and description
The ship measured 130.64 metre overall, with a beamBeam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 12.79 metre. Helgoland had a mean draft of 4.6 metre and displaced 3500 tonnes (3,444.7 LT) at normal load. At deep load, she displaced 4017 tonnes (3,953.5 LT). Her propulsion system consisted of two sets of AEG
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
-Curtis steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s driving two propeller shafts. They were designed to provide 25600 shp and were powered by 16 Yarrow
Yarrow Shipbuilders
Yarrow Limited , often styled as simply Yarrows, was a major shipbuilding firm based in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow on the River Clyde...
water-tube boiler
Water-tube boiler
A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...
s. These gave the ship a top speed of 27 knots (14.7 m/s). Helgoland carried about 710 tonnes (698.8 LT) of coal that gave her a range of approximately 1600 nautical miles (2,963.2 km) at 24 knots (13.1 m/s). The ship had a crew of 340 officers and men.
Helgoland was armed with nine 50-caliber
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
10 centimetres (3.9 in) guns in single pedestal mounts. Three were placed forward on the forecastle
Forecastle
Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...
, four were located amidships, two on either side, and two were side by side on the quarterdeck
Quarterdeck
The quarterdeck is that part of a warship designated by the commanding officer for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of...
. A 50-caliber 6.6 centimetres (2.6 in) anti-aircraft gun and six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s in twin mounts were added in 1917. The navy planned to remove the guns on the forecastle and quarterdeck and replace them with a 15 centimetres (5.9 in) guns fore and aft, but nothing was done before the end of the war.
The ship was protected by a waterline armored belt that was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick amidships. The conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
had 60 mm thick sides, and the deck was 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) thick.
Service history
Helgoland was laid downKeel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
at the Danubius shipyard in Fiume on 28 October 1911 and was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 23 November 1912. The ship was completed on 5 September 1914.
In late 1915, the Austro-Hungarian Navy began a series of raids against the merchant ships supplying Allied
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
forces in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. Helgoland, together with five destroyers, participated in one of these raids at the end of December. They sank a French submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
between Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
and the Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n port of Durazzo on 28 December and the destroyers attacked shipping in Durazzo the following morning. Two of the destroyers struck mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
while after sinking several ships in the port and had to be abandoned. The Austro-Hungarians managed to evade the Allied pursuit only when darkness fell. On the night of 31 May/1 June 1916, the ship covered a raid by two destroyers and three torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s on the drifter
Drifter (fishing boat)
A drifter is a type of fishing boat. They were designed to catch herrings in a long drift net. Herring fishing using drifters has a long history in the Netherlands and in many British fishing ports, particularly in East Scottish ports....
s defending the Strait of Otranto
Strait of Otranto
The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. Its width at Punta Palascìa, east of Salento is less than . The strait is named after the Italian city of Otranto.- History :...
against submarines trying to exit the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
.
Erich Heyssler assumed command of Helgoland in April 1917 and Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
planned another raid on the drifters using a force composed of the three Novara-class cruisers. The three cruisers were to attack separately while two destroyers made a diversionary attack on the drifters near the Albanian coast. On the night of 14 May, the ships departed port and managed to pass through the line of drifters in the darkness without being identified. As the sounds from the diversionary attack were heard, the drifters released their nets and began to head towards Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
. Helgoland turned around and attacked the westernmost group of drifters as dawn began on the morning of 15 May. Between the three cruisers, they sank 14 drifters and badly damaged an additional four. The skipper of the drifter Gowan Lea, Joseph Watt
Joseph Watt
Joseph Watt, VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, refused to surrender and abandon ship when demanded by Helgoland, despite the cruiser only being 100 yards (91.4 m) away. Watt's crew only managed to fire one shot before their single 57 mm (2.2 in) six-pounder gun was disabled. Watt's refusal to surrender in the face of overwhelming odds was recognized after the battle by the award of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
Helgoland did not linger to ensure that Gowan Lea was sunk, but proceeded to attack other drifters. She did, however, pause briefly to rescue 18 survivors from other drifters before turning for home. The Austrian ships were first contacted during their retreat by a group of three French destroyers led by a small Italian scout cruiser, Carlo Mirabello, but the heavier guns of the Austrian ships dissuaded the Allied commander from closing the range. They were intercepted shortly afterward by a stronger group of two British protected cruiser
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
s, and , escorted by four Italian destroyers. Dartmouth opened fire with her 6 inches (15 cm) guns at a range of 10600 yards (9,692.6 m) and Horthy ordered his ships to make smoke several minutes later. This nearly caused the three Austrian cruisers to collide in the dense smoke, but covered them against the fire from the British ships as they closed the range. When they emerged, the Austrian ships were only about 4900 yards (4,480.6 m) from the British, a range much more suitable for the smaller Austrian guns.
The three cruisers were gradually drawing away from their pursuers when Novara, leading the Austrian ships, was hit several times; most critically in the engine room that knocked out half her boilers. Helgoland was also hit five times, but not seriously, aside from one gun disabled. One crewman had been killed and 16 were wounded. The British ships turned away, around the time that Novara had to extinguish her remaining boilers and went dead in the water, upon learning that more Austrian ships were approaching. was preparing to take Novara under tow when several Italian destroyers attacked in succession. The weight of fire from the three cruisers prevented them from closing to torpedo range and they scored no hits. The Allied ship returned to Brindisi and the Austrians slowly proceeded back to base. Helgoland had fired 1052 shells from her 10 cm guns. Heyssler received the Order of Leopold
Order of Leopold (Austria)
The Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold was founded by Franz I of Austria on 8 January 1808. The order's statutes stipulated only three grades: Grand Cross, Commander and Knight. During the war, in common with the other Austro-Hungarian decorations Crossed Swords were instituted to reward bravery in...
with crossed swords in recognition of his leadership during the battle.
Helgoland and six destroyers attempted to duplicate the success of the earlier raid on 18–19 October, but they were spotted by Italian aircraft and turned back in the face of substantial Allied reinforcements alerted by the aircraft. The ship was tasked to participate in a major attack on the Allied ships defending the Strait of Otranto on 11 June 1918, but it was called off after the dreadnought
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
was sunk by an Italian motor torpedo boat
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy.The capitalised term is generally used for the Royal Navy boats and abbreviated to "MTB"...
en route to the rendezvous for the operation.
Italian service
Italy received Helgoland from Austria-Hungary on 19 September 1920 as part of the peace settlements that ended World War I. Renamed Brindisi and anchored at BizerteBizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, when the transfer was made, the ship reached La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
on 26 October where she was assigned to the Scouting Group (Gruppo Esploratori). The ship was modified to suit the Italians at La Spezia from 6 April to 16 June 1921 before she entered service. She became the flagship of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Massimiliano Lovatelli, commander of the Light Squadron, upon recommissioning. Brindisi sailed for Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
on 3 July, visiting a number of ports in Italy, Greece, and Turkey en route. She relieved the armored cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
as flagship of the Eastern Squadron upon her arrival on 16 July. The ship was replaced as flagship on 6 October and remained assigned to the Eastern Squadron until she returned to Italy on 7 January 1924.
Brindisi hosted King Victor Emmanuel III
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
aboard during the ceremonies that transferred Fiume to Italian control in accordance with the Treaty of Rome in February–March 1924. The ship was then transferred to Libya where she spent the next year. Brindisi returned to Italy the following year and was briefly assigned to the Scout Squadron on 1 April 1926 before she was placed in reserve on 26 July. The ship was reactivated on 1 June 1927 when she was assigned as the flagship of the 1st Destroyer Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral Enrico Cuturi. Six months later, she was relieved as flagship and was transferred to the Special Squadron where she became flagship of Rear Admiral Antonio Foschini on 6 June 1928. In May–June 1929, Brindisi made a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean where she visited ports in Greece and the Dodecanese Islands. Rear Admiral Salvatore Denti relieved Foschini on 15 October and the ship was disarmed on 26 November. She was used as a depot ship at Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, Pola
Pola
Pola may refer to:In places:*Pola, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in south Poland*Pola, Oriental Mindoro, a municipality in the Philippines*Pola de Allande, a town and a parish in Allande, a municipality within the province of Asturias, in northern Spain...
, and Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
until she was stricken from the Navy List on 11 March 1937.