A KIDDERMINSTER woman’s memories of helping protect British shores from German forces during World War II have been featured in a new film.

‘We Did Our Bit’ presents the stories of 11 military veterans from the conflict that lived in Worcestershire and has now been released on DVD.

A short film was made for Remembrance Day in 2013 but this has now been extended to an hour-long film, made by Splash TV, to give each of those veterans a chance to tell more of their extraordinary stories.

Gwen Thomas, of Truro Drive, Habberley, was in an anti-aircraft gun crew protecting Portsmouth from enemy aircraft during the war.

She was a predictor operator, calculating the angle of the defence guns to stop the Germans bombing British ships in harbour.

The 95-year-old grew up in Arley and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in London shortly before the outbreak of war in 1939. She witnessed the bombing of London by the Germans and was determined to do her bit to fight back.

In the film she explains how she felt after shooting down a German aircraft and describes her responsibilities as part of an Ack-Ack crew based on Hayling Island near Portsmouth when German bomber aircraft were approaching.

She said: "Whatever we were doing, we would run for action. The girls on height finders would read off the height they were coming in. As soon as that came in on to the Predictor, I lined up all the dials, and when they were all the same I said: 'Predictor on target, Fire’.

"I'm very glad to be able to say I did my bit, and for the younger generations to know what we all did in the war."

To illustrate Gwen’s daily life, a camera follows her doing her weekly shop in Sainsbury’s in Kidderminster. Viewers will see her choosing fruit for her supper while she recalls scary near misses from enemy machine guns and doodle bug bombs when she was aged 20.

The DVD is available for lend from Worcestershire libraries, or can be purchased from Splash TV for £15 by calling 07973 636024.