Cryptic crossword clue
To remain in force, a guy in command on the parade ground 5,2,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 2 plus 4 letter word STAND AT EASE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
T
A
N
D
A
T
E
A
S
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "command on the parade ground" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case command on the parade ground = stand at ease.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

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