Phyllis Latour
Updated: 12/11/2025, 2:05:01 PM Wikipedia source
Phyllis "Pippa" Latour MBE (8 April 1921 – 7 October 2023) was a South African-born agent of the United Kingdom's clandestine Special Operations Executive (SOE) organisation in France during World War II. The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe against the Axis powers, especially Nazi Germany. SOE agents in France allied themselves with French Resistance groups and supplied them with weapons and equipment parachuted in from England. Latour worked as a wireless operator in Normandy from 1 May 1944 until August in the same year.
Infobox
Nickname
Genevieve
Born
(1921-04-08)8 April 1921Durban, Natal, Union of South Africa
Died
7 October 2023(2023-10-07) (aged 102)West Auckland, New Zealand
Allegiance
United Kingdom France
Branch
WAAF, Special Operations Executive, French Resistance
Years of service
1941–1944
Rank
Hon. Section Officer (WAAF)
Commands
Scientist
Awards
Member of the Order of the British Empire 1939–1945 Star France and Germany Star Defence Medal (United Kingdom) War Medal 1939–1945 Croix de Guerre Legion of Honour
Service years
1941–1944
Tables
· Honours and awards
UK
UK
UK
UK
Col 2
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
1939–1945 Star
UK
UK
UK
UK
Col 2
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
France and Germany Star
UK
UK
UK
UK
Col 2
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Defence Medal
UK
UK
UK
UK
Col 2
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
War Medal 1939–1945
France
France
UK
France
Col 2
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Croix de guerre 1939–1945
France
France
UK
France
Col 2
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Legion of Honour
| UK | | Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) |
| UK | | 1939–1945 Star |
| UK | | France and Germany Star |
| UK | | Defence Medal |
| UK | | War Medal 1939–1945 |
| France | | Croix de guerre 1939–1945 |
| France | | Legion of Honour |
References
- The London Gazettehttps://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37250/supplement/4434
- Stuffhttp://www.stuff.co.nz/national/63516307/pippas-astonishing-story-recognised
- Latour 2024, ebook loc. 421.
- Latour 2024, p. 42.
- "Phyllis Latour: The secret life of a WW2 heroine revealed"https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67100792
- The Heroines of SOE
- Squadron Leader Beryl E. Escott, Mission Improbable: A salute to the RAF women of SOE in wartime France, London, Patrick
- Kate Vigurs, Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE, New York, Yale University Press, 2021, pp. 150–151. I
- D-Day Girls
- Escott 2010, pp. 190–192.
- Threadshttps://www.threadsmagazine.com/2021/06/15/phyllis-latour-doyle-profiles-in-sewing-history
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67100792
- Escott 2010, p. 193.
- Liane Jones, A Quiet Courage: Women Agents in the French Resistance, London, Transworld Publishers Ltd, 1990. ISBN 0-593
- Stuffhttp://www.stuff.co.nz/national/63458766/World-War-II-top-spy-living-in-Auckland
- coffeeordie.comhttps://coffeeordie.com/pippa-latour/
- "Decorated WWII special ops agent has died in West Auckland, aged 102"https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/300985405/decorated-wwii-special-ops-agent-has-died-in-west-auckland-aged-102
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/13/phyllis-latour-obituary
- WAR HISTORY ONLINEhttps://web.archive.org/web/20150330074141/http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/wwii-heroine-pippa-doyle-receives-frances-highest-honour.html