Siege of Tsingtao
After the outbreak of World War I in early August 1914, the light cruiser captured the Russian steamer "Ryazan" and brought her back to Tsingtao. Men from the crews of "Iltis", the unprotected cruiser and the gunboat were used to man "Ryazan", which was commissioned as the auxiliary cruiser . "Iltis" was then scuttled on 28 September 1914 during the Siege of Tsingtao. Three of her sisters were also scuttled during the siege.