Major General Graham Beresford Parkinson, CBE, DSO & Bar, OStJ (5 November 1896 – 10 July 1979) was a professional soldier in the New Zealand Military Forces who served during the First and Second World Wars.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, he commanded an artillery regiment in the Western Desert campaign and participated in the Battle of Greece.

In 1913, he sat and passed the entrance examination for the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in Australia, which set aside a limited number of enrolments for New Zealanders.

[1] Commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Artillery, Parkinson was posted to Trentham Military Camp where he was an instructor.

This was raised following a request from the Fijian government for military forces to support local police dealing with striking labourers and farmers.

The force, numbering about 55 men and under the command of the then Major Edward Puttick, was based on Fiji for two months before returning home.

He returned to New Zealand in 1927, accompanied by his wife Barbara Waiohine Howe, who he had married in Birmingham on 30 August the previous year.

He was demoted to major the following year; this reduction in rank was as a result of disciplinary action after using the workshop facilities at Trentham Military Camp for personal work.

[5] After serving in the initial stages of the Western Desert campaign, for which he was mentioned in despatches, he led the regiment well during the Battle of Greece.

[1] After Monte Cassino and the return of Freyberg to command of the 2nd New Zealand Division, Parkinson went back to lead the 6th Infantry Brigade.

[2] For his services during the fighting in Italy, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire[14] and was also made an Officer of the United States Legion of Merit.

After serving in this capacity for nearly a year, he was posted to London for a three-year term as the New Zealand military liaison officer.