In May 1944, just weeks before D-Day, 23-year-old Phyllis Latour parachuted into Nazi-occupied Normandy on a mission that could have cost her life. Under the guise of a naïve French country girl, she spent four months gathering intelligence for the Allies, passing coded messages, and evading capture.

Trained by Britain’s Special Operations Executive, Phyllis learned everything from wireless communication and Morse code to scaling walls and disappearing without a trace. Her mission was personal—her godfather had been killed by the Nazis—and every day was a deadly game of survival.

Pedaling through villages with a basket of soap, she appeared harmless, even flirting with German soldiers, while secretly transmitting vital intelligence. Ingenious methods, like hiding silk-coded messages in her hair tie, allowed her to stay one step ahead of the Gestapo. Over the summer of 1944, she sent 135 messages that guided Allied forces and helped pave the way for the liberation of France.

After the war, Phyllis returned to a quiet life in New Zealand, raising four children who only learned of her heroism decades later. In 2014, France honored her with the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, recognizing a life of courage and sacrifice that remained hidden for too long.