Italian battleship Benedetto Brin Benedetto Brin was a pre - dreadnought battleship built for the Italian " Regia Marina " between 1899 and 1905 . The ship was armed with a main battery of four guns and was capable of a top speed of . " Benedetto Brin " saw combat in the Italo - Turkish War of 1911 – 1912 , including the bombardment of Tripoli in October 1911 . She was destroyed by an internal explosion during World War I in September 1915 , which killed over 450 of the ship ' s crew . Design . " Benedetto Brin " was long overall and had a beam of and a draft of . She displaced at full combat load . Her propulsion system consisted of two triple expansion engines . Steam for the engines was provided by twenty - eight coal - fired Belleville boiler s . The ship ' s propulsion system provided a top speed of and a range of approximately at . " Benedetto Brin " had a crew of 812 officers and enlisted men . As built , the ship was armed with four 40 - caliber guns placed in two twin gun turret s , one forward and one aft . The ship was also equipped with four 40 - cal . guns in casemate s in the superstructure , and twelve 40 - cal . guns , also in casemates in the side of the hull . Close - range defense against torpedo boats was provided by a battery of twenty 40 - cal . guns . The ship also carried a pair of guns , two guns , and two Maxim gun s . " Benedetto Brin " was also equipped with four torpedo tube s placed in the hull below the waterline . The ship was protected with Harvey steel manufactured in Terni . The main belt was thick , and the deck was thick . The conning tower and the casemate guns were also protected by 6 in of armor plating . The main battery guns had stronger armor protection , at thick . Service . The ship was built by the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard . Her keel was laid down on 30 January 1899 , and the completed hull was launched on 7 November 1901 . Fitting out work lasted for the next four years , and she was completed on 1 September 1905 . It took so long primarily because of non - delivery of material , particularly the heavy armor . After she entered active service , the ship was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron . The Squadron was usually only activated for seven months of the year in peacetime , which was occupied with training maneuvers , and the rest of the year the ships were placed in reserve . In 1907 , the Mediterranean Squadron consisted of " Benedetto Brin " , her sister " Regina Margherita " , and three of the s . The ships participated in the annual maneuvers in late September and early October , under the command of Vice Admiral Alfonso di Brocchetti . " Benedetto Brin " remained in the active duty squadron through 1910 , by which time the fourth " Regina Elena " - class ship was completed , bringing the total number of front - line battleships to six . Italo - Turkish War . On 29 September 1911 , Italy declared war on the Ottoman Empire in order to seize Libya . During the Italo - Turkish War " Benedetto Brin " was assigned to the 1st Division of the 2nd Squadron , along with her sister and the two s . " Benedetto Brin " served as the squadron flagship of Vice Admiral Farvelli . In early October , she arrived off Tripoli to relieve " Roma " on blockade duty outside the port . On 3 – 4 October , she participated in the bombardment of the fortifications protecting Tripoli . The Italian fleet used their medium - caliber guns to preserve their ammunition for the heavy guns . Turkish counter - battery fire was completely ineffective . On 13 April 1912 , " Benedetto Brin " and the rest of the Squadron sailed from Tobruk to the Aegean Sea to rendezvous with the 1st Squadron . The two squadrons met off Stampalia on 17 April . The next day , the fleet steamed into the northern Aegean and cut several Turkish submarine telegraph cables . Most of the ships of the Italian fleet then bombarded the fortresses protecting the Dardanelles in an unsuccessful attempt to lure out the Turkish fleet . While they were doing this , " Regina Margherita " , " Benedetto Brin " , and two torpedo boat s were detached to cut additional cables between Rhodes and Marmaris . In July , " Benedetto Brin " and the rest of the Division had withdrawn to Italy to replace worn - out gun barrels , along with other repairs . Also in 1912 , the ship had four 3 - inch guns added , increasing her battery from 20 to 24 pieces . World War I . Italy declared neutrality after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 , but by July 1915 , the Triple Entente had convinced the Italians to enter the war against the Central Powers . The primary naval opponent for the duration of the war was the Austro - Hungarian Navy ; the Naval Chief of Staff , Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel , planned a distant blockade with the battle fleet , while smaller vessels , such as the MAS boats conducted raids . The heavy ships of the Italian fleet would be preserved for a potential major battle in the Austro - Hungarian fleet should emerge from its bases . As a result , the ship ' s career during the war was limited . In addition to the cautious Italian strategy , " Benedetto Brin " — long - since obsolescent — was reduced to a training ship in the 3rd Division , along with her sister ship . On 27 September 1915 , " Benedetto Brin " was destroyed in a huge explosion in the harbor of Brindisi , the result of Austro - Hungarian sabotage . A total of 8 officers and 379 ratings survived but 454 members of the crew , including Rear - Admiral Rubin de Cervin died . Two of the ship ' s 12 - inch guns were salvaged from the wreck and were reused as coastal guns protecting Venice .