The Regia Marina's "San Giorgio" was deployed to Spain to protected Italian interests during the Spanish Civil War. During World War II, she was heavily utilized at the Siege of Tobruk. There she provided anti-aircraft cover and naval gunfire support to Italian units. She was heavily damaged by British aircraft and was scuttled to prevent her capture. Her sister ship, "San Marco" was decommissioned in 1931 and used as a radio controlled target ship. In 1943, she was scuttled to prevent her capture by the Germans.