BRAVE heroes of today and yesteryear met to swap war time stories.

The Chelsea Pensioners paid a visit to Colchester’s personnel recovery centre Chavasse VC House, to give advice on girls, beer and, more seriously, pensions.

But their visit had a more important message to get across to injured and sick veterans and service men and women who are recovering at the centre in Berechurch Hall Road.

Chelsea Pensioner John McNaughton, 87, formerly of Colchester’s 3 Para and a Second World War veteran, said: “Some of these guys are scared stiff about going into civvy street to get a job and if you can help them in that, then that’s great.”

It was an important meeting for former paratrooper Marty Wilson, whose future was very uncertain when he was shot in the head while in Afghanistan.

Serving in 2 Para, he had been in Helmand Province when he took the shot in his left temple in February 2011.

Paramedics and doctors were working on him in the Apache helicopter which took him to hospital before he was transferred to Headley Court rehabilitation centre, Surrey, where he spent 18 months recovering.

Amazingly, four years later he has regained his speech and is looking forward to his future, having been discharged from the Army last February after 18 years’ service.

With the help of Chavasse VC House his future is looking bright.

Marty and other veterans and serving soldiers spent time swapping stories and playing golf.

Marty, 42, said: “They are fantastic people to speak to.

“I was lucky enough to go to Normandy last year with two Chelsea Pensioners, one of who mactually jumped into Normandy during the Second World War.

“They are very inspiring and I am just in awe of them.

“We have very big shoes to fill when it comes to our turn being in their position.”

Marty added: “After I was shot, when I was in Headley Court I had a speech therapist everyday.

“You just have to keep on going. When I left I still couldn’t talk anywhere near what I could beforehand.

“Chavasse has been amazing.

They tailor their courses for me because I still can’t read and wouldn’t be able to do a lot without them.

“Their help takes the stress off.

I haven’t managed to get a job yet. But I am looking at doing some volunteering dog walking with their help.”

Fellow former sniper and 2 Para soldier Michael McFadyen was injured on UK soil after he landed badly while doing a parachute jump on exercise.

Also discharged last May, he has been getting support from Chavasse VC House, and even managed to secure a job in health and safety before he left the Army.

Michael, 34, said: “I was in a parachute accident and injured my side because I fell badly.

“Even though Marty was injured in Afghanistan and I was injured in the UK the treatment was no different. Meeting the Chelsea Pensioners has been really important.

“There’s not many of these boys left. In 30 years’ time it will be veterans from conflicts from our era like Iraq and Afghanistan who continue this tradition.

“It will be our duty to try and fill their shoes. They mostly talked about women and beer, although they also wanted to make sure we were getting our pensions correctly.

“A couple of them were parachutists so we were talking about how it doesn’t change. They do just live life to the full.”

Chelsea Pensioners wear the distinctive red coat if they are aged over 65, served as a regular soldier and have no dependent partner or family. As well as receiving support themselves, they also offer it to today’s soldiers.