Hi,
Interesting article, but missions to Algiers were definitely not considered suicide missions. Routine reconnaissance missions were flown to Algiers throughout 1943, and 1.(F)/123 flew long-range reconnaissance missions to Gibraltar, Oran, Algiers, Sousse, Malta and Tripoli with its Ju 88 T aircraft in the summer of 1943.
The reason for the mission to Algiers on 15 August 1943 can be determined from an entry in the war diary of the German
Seekriegsleitung on that day: "
The successfully attacked eastbound convoy in the western Mediterranean was not sighted again, it has apparently entered Algiers." So your relative and his crew were sent to see if the convoy had indeed entered Algiers harbour. The convoy can be found here, and as can be seen, quite a few vessels did sail to Algiers:
OS & OS/KMS Convoys
There is an excellent book on 1.(F)/123 available here:
Fernaufklärer fernaufklaerer.com. It might be worth your while to contact the author, Harald Rabeder, who is a very friendly and helpful fellow. He can be reached here:
Kontakt fernaufklaerer.com
Cheers,
Andrew A.