Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in 1914, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign until she was sunk in 1916 by the Austro-Hungarian submarine SM U-17 with the loss of 37 men.

The squadron, under the command of Capitano de fregata (Frigate Captain) P. Orsini, was based at Taranto, although although either Impetuoso or Indomito or both were visiting La Spezia that day.

[3][4][5] On 8 December 1915, Impetuoso and Insidioso escorted the steamship Palermo, carrying over 700 men and 43 draft animals, from Taranto to Vlorë (known to the Italians as Valona) in Albania.

[5] On 23 February 1916 Impetuoso and Insidioso bombarded Austro-Hungarian artillery positions on the mountain Sasso Bianco in the Dolomites during the evacuation of Durrës (known to the Italians as Durazzo) in Albania.

On 9 July 1916 Impetuoso (now under the command of an officer named Ponza di San Martino) and Irrequieto set out in pursuit of the Austro-Hungarian scout cruiser Novara, which had attacked the Otranto Barrage in the Strait of Otranto and sunk the naval drifters — armed fishing boats that patrolled anti-submarine barriers — Astrum, Claivis, and Spei, but Novara reached the Austro-Hungarian naval base at Cattaro before they could intercept her.