CRAFT and organisational skills which were applied to many major public works projects in Kidderminster between the 1930s and 70s also played a part in the D-Day landings.

Harry Frost, who worked for the old Kidderminster Borough Corporation which pre-dated the current Wyre Forest District Council, was a mainstay of the former authority's public works department for 41 years, until his retirement in 1974.

Among the developments he had a hand in were the Inner Ring Road and the Cattle Market.

The one period when he broke his service was during the Second World War, when he served his country as a soldier in the Royal Engineers.

Harry still lives in Franchise Street, where he was born 87 years ago.

His earliest recollections include the World War One years, when food was in short supply.

''If you found a shop with a half a loaf, that was wonderful,'' he said.

After attending schools in Hume Street and John Street, Harry learned the carpentry trade as an apprentice with Hamiltons before joining Bridges the builders.

In 1933, aged 22, he joined the corporation.

One project he remembers was something of a local landmark until it was burned down by vandals. Harry built a wooden pulpit in the Bull Ring for police officers to direct traffic.

When he joined up in 1940, he and his Army comrades had to flee south through France to the Mediterranean as the Germans cut off their evacuation route to Dunkirk.

Harry's company eventually found refuge in Gibralter, where he spent the next three years. In that time, they dug tunnels into the Rock as a precaution against German raids.

No sooner had he returned home for leave in 1944, than he was among the troops who went ashore at Normandy on June 6, 1944.

The job of Harry and his colleagues was to ensure that petrol shipped all the way from Birmingham kept the Allied invaders on the move.

After demob, he resumed his career with the borough authority.

He played a leading role in the visit by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Kidderminster in 1957 and recalls: ''A man came from London and said that nobody should be behind, above or below the Queen in the Town Hall.''

In 1960, he was promoted to works superintendent at an annual salary of £880.

He remained in that post until his retirement coincided with the setting up of the modern day district council.

Harry and his wife, Phyllis, recently celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.