A WWII hero in Auckland

Stuff reports:

A 93-year-old woman living quietly in an Auckland rest home has been revealed as one of the bravest spies of World War Two.

On Tuesday Phyllis Latour Doyle – Pippa to her friends – will be bestowed with France’s highest decoration for what she did 70 years ago. …

She was parachuted into France to get information on German positions and on one mission, into Normandy, she played a crucial role in the D-Day landings. …

She first went into Aquitaine in Vichy France from 1942 and was dropped behind enemy lines under a new code name, Paulette, into the Calvados region of Normandy on May 1, 1944.

Aged 23, she had the identity of a poor 14-year-old French girl to make the Germans less suspicious. 

She used bicycles to tour the area, passing information through coded messages. …

She will receive her honour on Tuesday from French Ambassador Laurent Contini.

“I have deep admiration for her bravery and it will be with great honour that I will present her with the award of Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest decoration,” the ambassador said.

Great to see her being honoured. I still think it was a huge mistake NZ never gave Nancy Wake an honour. I’m not sure if Pippa Doyle is a NZ citizen, but not too late for us to give her one also!