A World War II heroine who parachuted behind German lines on "perilous" spy missions, but was so modest she told her children about it only 15 years ago, was presented on Tuesday with France's highest honor.

British-born Pippa Doyle, now 93 and living in New Zealand, was awarded the Chevalier de l'ordre national de la Legion d'Honneur, or Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor.

The French ambassador to New Zealand, Laurent Contini, who presented the award to Doyle at a military barracks in Auckland, praised her courage in spying on German movements ahead of the D-Day landings in 1944.

However, the modest Doyle is reluctant to talk about her wartime experiences and only revealed her past to her four children 15 years ago.

During the war, she joined the Special Operations Executive, a British organization involved in espionage and sabotage in occupied Europe, after her godmother's father was shot by the Germans.

She spoke fluent French, and on May 1, 1944, was parachuted into Normandy under the code name "Paulette", where she spied on German troops and sent messages back to London.

"Pippa stands out as a formidable example for younger and older generations alike," Contini said.

"At the age of 21, she decided to join the resistance movement in a foreign country, held dangerous positions and undertook perilous missions to prepare the grounds for the allied troops to march on."

Doyle, whose first name is Phyllis but who is widely known as Pippa, has previously been awarded the Croix de Guerre and MBE, or Member of the British Empire.

(China Daily 11/26/2014 page10)