SMS Saida

Map showing the location of the Straits of Otranto at the southern end of the Adriatic

In May 1917, Admiral Miklós Horthy planned a major raid on the drifters of the Otranto Barrage, using a force composed of the three Novara-class cruisers. The three cruisers were modified to resemble destroyers, and where thoroughly overhauled in preparation for the attack. Their boilers and turbines were cleaned to ensure the highest efficiency, and an anti-aircraft gun was installed on each ship.[7] The ships were to attack separately while two destroyers made a diversionary attack on the drifters near the Albanian coast. On the night of 14 May, the ships departed port and managed to pass through the line of drifters in the darkness without being identified. As the sounds from the diversionary attack were heard, the drifters released their nets and began to head towards the Strait of Otranto.[8] At 03:45, Saida and the other cruisers began their attacks on the drifters, though Saida stopped her engines and drifted toward the patrol vessels for about 30 minutes to conceal her position. Saida opened fire at 4:20, setting three drifters on fire, before stopping to pick up nineteen survivors.[9]

The Austrian ships were first contacted during their retreat by a group of three French destroyers led by a small Italian scout cruiser, Carlo Mirabello, but the heavier guns of the Austrian ships dissuaded the Allied commander from pressing an attack. They were intercepted shortly afterward by a stronger group of two British protected cruisers, Bristol and Dartmouth, escorted by four Italian destroyers. Dartmouth opened fire with her 6-inch (152 mm) guns at a range of 10,600 yards (9,700 m) and Horthy ordered his ships to lay a smoke screen several minutes later. Horthy called for reinforcements that came in the form of the armored cruiser Sankt Georg, which sortied with two destroyers and four torpedo boats.[10] The heavy smoke nearly caused the three Austrian cruisers to collide, but it covered them from the fire from the British ships as they closed the range. When they emerged, the Austrian ships were only about 4,900 yards (4,500 m) from the British, a range much more suitable for the smaller Austrian guns.[11]

British drifters sailing from their base in the Adriatic to the Barrage

The three cruisers were gradually drawing away from their pursuers when Novara, leading the Austrian ships, was hit several times. Novara's boilers were disabled, leaving her dead in the water. Saida was preparing to take Novara under tow when several Italian destroyers attacked in succession. The weight of fire from the three cruisers prevented them from closing to torpedo range and they scored no hits. Sankt Georg arrived and Saida took Novara under tow for the voyage back to port.[12] The four cruisers assembled in line-ahead formation, with Sankt Georg the last vessel in the line, to cover the other three ships. Later in the afternoon, the old coastal defense ship Budapest and three more torpedo boats joined the ships to strengthen the escort.[13]

The ship was tasked to participate in a major attack on the Allied ships defending the Strait of Otranto on 11 June 1918. Saida, Admiral Spaun, and four torpedo boats were to have attacked the seaplane base at Otranto to draw out the Allied fleet. The operation was called off after the dreadnought SMS Szent István was sunk by an Italian motor torpedo boat en route to the rendezvous for the operation.[14] On 3 November 1918, the Austro-Hungarian government signed the Armistice of Villa Giusti with Italy, ending their participation in the conflict.[15] Following the armistice, the entire Austro-Hungarian fleet was transferred to the newly formed Yugoslavia.[16]

In 1920, under the terms of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saida and the rest of the fleet was surrendered to the Allied powers as war prizes.[17] The ship was ceded to Italy, where she was commissioned as Venezia on 5 July 1921;[18] she and her sisters were the largest vessels of the former Austro-Hungarian Navy to see active service in the navies of their former enemies.[19] Venezia's 6.6 cm anti-aircraft gun was replaced with a 37 mm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft gun of Italian manufacture; apart from that modification, the ship served in her original configuration. From 1930, she served as a barracks ship, first at Genoa and then in La Spezia.[18] In September 1935, Venezia was drydocked at La Spezia in preparation of being laid up before being scrapped.[20] The ship was sold for scrapping 11 March 1937 and was subsequently broken up.[2]