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The Last Secret Agent: The Untold Story of My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Enemy Lines by Pippa Latour with Jude Dobson.

Young Pippa Doyle

Pippa Latour was an honorary member of NZBCA recognising her remarkable feats as a covert agent for the SOE (Special Operations Executive). For decades, Pippa told no one – not even her family – of her incredible feats as an undercover agent. Now her story has been told in a new book.

In 1944 she parachuted into Nazi occupied Normandy. Taking on the persona of a teenage soap-seller, with the name Genevieve, she cycled around the region, often sleeping rough and foraging for food. She often sold her wares to the German soldiers, while collecting and sending back intelligence reports via code to England.

During her time in France, Pippa sent 135 secret messages conveying crucial information on German troop positions in the lead-up to D-Day. Germany had advanced radio detecting apparatus. Each coded message might take Pippa about half an hour to send, during which she was vulnerable to the very real risk of German electronic patrols discovering her position.

Incredibly brave – Pippa knew she could be instantly shot if her cover was blown – she concealed her codes on a piece of silk that she threaded through a shoelace and wore as a hair tie. Following the Allied landings, she remained behind enemy lines, continuing her mission until the liberation of Paris in August 1944.

After the war, Pippa intended to migrate to Australia, but ended up in New Zealand rather by accident.

Pippa was awarded an MBE, the Croix de Guerre and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur. In presenting the award, French Ambassador Laurent Contini commended her courage during the war, saying: “I have deep admiration for her bravery, and it will be with great honour that I will present her with this award, France’s highest decoration”.

Genevieve Lane in Hobsonville Point has been named in het honour, taking her code name.

Pippa Doyle was 102 when she died. She had been the last survivor of the secret agents who served in France.