There are few prouder moments in a service family’s life than watching a recruit march off the square at their Pass Out Parade. Months of hard graft, early mornings and discipline come together in one ceremony — and it deserves to be marked with something that lasts longer than the day itself.
If you’re a parent, partner, or friend wondering what to buy, you’re in the right place. Here are our favourite pass out parade gift ideas, all personalised and engraved to order right here in Corby.
A keepsake they’ll actually keep
The best pass out parade gifts aren’t the flashiest — they’re the ones that get picked up years later and still mean something. A name, a date, a regiment or cap badge engraved into a quality piece turns an ordinary object into a record of an achievement.
That’s the whole idea behind a few of our most popular pieces:
The Mess Kit Clutter Box — a handsome wooden box that lives on the dressing table and holds cufflinks, studs, watch and bits of mess kit. Practical from day one of their service, and engraved with their details it becomes a fixture they’ll carry from posting to posting.
An engraved whisky glass in a presentation box — understated, grown-up, and exactly right for toasting the end of basic training. A gift that says “you’ve earned this.”
A personalised desk Toblerone — a solid oak triangular desk piece engraved with rank, name and regiment. A quietly proud addition to any desk or office.
Don’t forget the budget-friendly options
Not every meaningful gift has to cost a fortune. We keep a full range of gifts under £30 for exactly these moments — ideal when several family members or section mates want to chip in or give something individually. There’s no minimum order, so one is as welcome as a hundred.
Why “MOD approved” matters
Here’s something worth knowing before you buy anywhere. Pronto Images is officially licensed by the Ministry of Defence. That means when we engrave a regimental crest, an HMS ship badge or an RAF squadron insignia, we’re authorised to do it — and it’s done correctly and respectfully.
It’s a detail that matters to the people who’ll receive these gifts. A badge worn with pride deserves to be reproduced with the same care.
Made in the UK, made to be proud of
Every piece is designed and engraved by hand at our workshop in Corby, Northamptonshire, and shipped securely across the UK. We’re a family-run business founded by an ex-Royal Engineer with more than two decades of British Army service behind him — so we understand exactly what a Pass Out Parade means, because we’ve stood on that square ourselves.
If we can make it, we will. And if you’re not sure what’s right, just ask — there’s always a real person at the end of the phone.
Ready to find the perfect pass out parade gift? Browse our full range of engraved military gifts →