Sir Roderick (Wallis) Parkes KCMG OBE (2 April 1909 – 2 November 1972) was a British diplomat and colonial administrator.
From 1935 to 1947 he was in the Indian Political Service, serving as Secretary and later Counsellor at the British Legation, Kabul (1936–39) and on attachment as Liaison Commissioner (States) at the Food Department of the Government of India (1946–47), in charge of food arrangements for the then Indian States (population 100 million).
He served as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1955–56) until diplomatic relations were severed as a result of the Suez crisis, to Vietnam (1957–60) where he exercised influence with President Diem at the start of the Communist insurgency,[2] and to Sudan (1960–61) - an appointment cut short by illness.
Following his retirement in 1966, he lived in Castletown, Isle of Man, close to his friend and former senior colleague, Sir Ralph Stevenson.
He married in 1939 Eileen Mary Ernestine (4 May 1915 – 21 July 1977) daughter of Captain Neville Gardner, and half-sister of the mathematician R. E. A. C.