Show Parade

You may already have realised that I don't like parades. Worse than a normal parade is a show parade.

A show parade is a minor punishment for a minor offence. This "offence" could range from unpolished boots to a piece of fluff being spotted on your beret. The punishment involves parading at the guard room at a certain time - usually 1800hrs - "showing" the offending item.

Dirty boots - you show a nice clean, highly polished pair of boots.

Fluff on beret - you show a beret sans fluff. You get the drift I'm sure. If you are not up to the required standard you get the opportunity to "re-show" the item at 2200hrs.

A show parade is an embuggerance and usually nothing else. Occasionally though they are an event of high quality humour. I remember walking out of camp one evening past a single soldier on parade. Accompanying him on parade - a bed and locker. His room had been left untidy and he had been given a show parade - "showing bedspace".