Esper Nikolaevich Monte-Riko (1889-1976), Russian Military Engineer, officer in the Imperial, Red, and White armies, was born in St. Petersburg in 1889 and graduated from the Military School of Engineering.

During World War I, Monte-Riko was a military engineer and as an officer participated in many campaigns. However, in the beginning of 1918, he was forced to join the Red Army. Monte-Riko was assigned as commander of an engineer battalion on the Southern Front. Once at the front, Monte-Riko began preparing his escape to join the Whites. In the spring of 1919, he joined the White Don Cossacks under General Mamontov. For serving with the Reds, the author was demoted to a private. In time, General Mamontov became friends with Monte-Riko and made use of the latter's experience in the Red Army. Monte-Riko was eventually given back his officer's rank, and became Gen. Mamontovfs personal adjutant.

In 1920, he left Russia from Novorossiisk, first to Constantinople, then to Paris. In 1930, he and his wife naturalized and became French citizens. He died on February 6, 1976 in Paris and had been buried at the Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.