Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1918, the daughter of John Aloysius O'Sullivan (1873–1949), an Irish journalist and a German mother, Johanna Repen (1889–1919), who died when Paddy was only 15 months old, she began her schooling at St Louis Convent in Dublin.
There she attended convent school in Coutrai and then the Athenée Royale in Ostend.
At the age of seven she was sent to live with an aunt in Belgium. At the beginning of the war she was a nurse working at Highgate Hospital in London. She joined the WAAF on 7 July 1941, as an Aircraft Handler General Duties, and was later promoted to Section officer.
After joining the SOE, Paddy parachuted into Limoges on 23 March 1944. The weather was extremely foggy and the pilot suggested that they return to England, but Paddy was determined and she jumped. Landing heavily, she was temporarily concussed, but always said her life was saved by the 2 million francs strapped to her back.
Following successful work with the Fireman network, Paddy returned to England on 5 October 1944. She was awarded the MBE Civil, which was gazetted on 4 September 1945. After her cover was blown in June 1945 she was posted to Force 136 in Calcutta as a liaison officer to work with the French.
She settled in England and went on to marry Eric Alvey, a chartered accountant, and lived near Ilkley, West Yorkshire. The couple had two sons, John and Robin.
