 In 1914 Elba was converted into the first dedicated seaplane tender in the Italian fleet . She was nevertheless too small to be of real use , and she remained in service for only two years . Puglia was the only ship of the class to take an active role in the First World War ; in 1915 , while patrolling off Durazzo she briefly encountered the Austro @-@ Hungarian cruiser SMS Novara , which retreated before either ship could open fire . She covered the withdrawal of elements of the Serbian Army from Durazzo and shelled the pursuing Austro @-@ Hungarian Army . Etruria was deliberately blown up in Livorno on 13 August 1918 to fool Austria @-@ Hungary into believing its espionage network , which had been thoroughly compromised , was still operational . Elba was sold for scrapping in January 1920 , followed by her sister Lombardia in July . That month , Puglia became involved in the civil unrest in Split , and the ship 's captain and another sailor were murdered by a group of Croat nationalists . Liguria was sold in May 1921 and broken up . The Navy sold Puglia in March 1923 , but while she was being dismantled Benito Mussolini donated her bow section to the Vittoriale degli italiani museum . 
