In late July and August 1914, "Habsburg" served as the flagship of the III Battleship Division of the Austro-Hungarian navy, under the command of Captain Miklós Horthy. The battleship, along with her sister ships and the rest of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, were mobilized to support the flight of SMS "Goeben" and SMS "Breslau" from 28 July to 10 August 1914. The two German cruisers were stationed in the Mediterranean Sea and were attempting to break out of the strait of Messina, which was surrounded by British troops and vessels, and make their way to Turkey. After the Germans successfully escaped the strait, the Austro-Hungarian Navy was recalled. The fleet had advanced as far south as Brindisi in southeastern Italy.