Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, who also holds the role of Minister for Portsmouth as part of his responsibilities as Minister of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government, visited the city recently and laid a wreath during a special D-Day commemorative service which took place on 6th June.
The Government created a Minister for Portsmouth some two years ago following the closure of the ship yard there, to help with economic regeneration and Mark, who recently served as Minister of State for the Armed Forces, has inherited that responsibility as part of his switch to DCLG.
Mark has previously visited Portsmouth on a number of occasions while wearing his old MOD hat but the ceremony was also personally poignant for him as his late father, Reginald Francois, served on a Minesweeper, HMS Bressay, at D-Day and he was thus a D-Day Veteran.
Mark attended the service along with the Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Frank Jonas and the two local Portsmouth MPs, Penny Mordant (Portsmouth North) and Flick Drummond (Portsmouth South).
Commenting on the ceremony, Mark said:
"We should never forget the immense sacrifices that were made on D-Day 71 years ago when thousands of troops went ashore to help liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny. It is important that we continue to remember this sacrifice every year and I was honoured to be in Portsmouth on June 6th to lay a wreath on behalf of those who did so much to keep us free."