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

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

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.