Greek cruiser Elli ( 1912 ) Elli ( Greek : Κ / Δ Έλλη ) was a 2 , 600 ton Greek protected cruiser ( Greek : " Εύδρομο Καταδρομικό " ) named for a naval battle of the First Balkan War in which Greece was victorious . She was completed in 1913 and commissioned in 1914 . " Elli " saw action during World War I and in the disastrous Asia Minor Expedition . An Italian submarine sank her , before the outbreak of the Greco - Italian War on 15 August 1940 while she sat at anchor . History . She was originally one of three cruisers of the ill - fated " Chao Ho " - class . The Chinese government ordered her built as the " Fei Hung " ( ) , however , the Nationalist revolution in 1912 - 13 resulted in the Chinese government cancelling the purchase . New York Shipbuilding in the United States completed her in 1914 and sold her to Greece , which purchased her as part of its program of naval expansion after the Balkan Wars . " Elli " saw action during World War I . Initially during the war , Greece followed a course of neutrality , with the Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos favoring the Entente and pro - German King Constantine I advocating neutrality . This dispute eventually led to a deep political conflict , known as the " National Schism " . In November 1916 , in order to apply pressure on the royal government in Athens , the French confiscated the Greek ships . They continued to operate with French crews , primarily in convoy escort and patrol duties in the Aegean , until Greece entered the war on the side of the Allies in June 1917 , at which point they were returned to Greece . Subsequently , the Greek Navy took part in the Allied operations in the Aegean . In 1920 she underwent a reconstruction in France , along with the armored cruiser . In that reconstruction she obtained modern anti - aircraft armament and the equipment to carry and lay 100 sea mines . In the disastrous Asia Minor Expedition King Paul of Greece was a sub - Lieutenant on board the " Elli " and witnessed the evacuation of Smyrna in September 1921 . Fate and aftermath . The Italian submarine " Delfino " sank her during peacetime , at 8 : 25 am on 15 August 1940 , while she rode at anchor near the island of Tinos . The " Elli " was in Tinos participating in the celebrations of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos . One of the three torpedoes fired hit the " Elli " under the one operating boiler and she caught fire and sank . Nine petty officers and sailors were killed and 24 were wounded . The same submarine attempted to torpedo the passenger ships M / V " Elsi " and M / V " Esperos " anchored in the port . This attempt failed and the torpedoes only damaged only a section of the port ' s wharf . Fragments of the torpedoes were recovered and identified as Italian in origin . The Greek government however , trying to avoid a confrontation with Italy at the time , announced that the nationality of the attacking submarine was unknown , an act that did not forestall the outbreak of the Greco - Italian War two months later , and did not convince the Greek people who were well aware of the perpetrator . After the war , as compensation for the sinking of " Elli " , Italy gave Greece the cruiser which was commissioned in June 1950 for the Royal Hellenic Navy with the name " Elli " . She served until 1973 . Since 1982 , a Standard - class frigate , , the lead ship of the , has continued the name .