AstheFirstWorldWarcametoanendin1918,millionsofBritishservicemenreturnedtothe“landfitforheroes”promisedbyPrimeMinisterDavidLloydGeorge.Oneex-serviceman'swifewrote:“We'dhadawarweddingbeforeheleft,sowedidn'thaveahouseofourown.Afterafewmonthsweweregivenarailwaycarriagetolivein.ThatwastheHomeforHeroes.”
Andanex-servicemanwrote:“IhadawalkaroundandeventuallysatonaseatontheEmbankment.Imusthavedozedoff.Iwokeasdawnwasbreaking,andwhatasightitwas.Alltheseatswerefullofoldsoldiers,andalotmorewerelyingonthesteps,somewrappedupinoldnewspapers.Menwhohadfoughtinthetrenches,nowunwantedandlefttostarve,wereallhuddledtogether.”

一九一八年第一次世界大戰結束，數以百萬計英國軍人回到大衞．勞埃．喬治首相承諾的「英雄之鄉」。據一位退役軍人妻子記載：「丈夫出征前，和我行戰時婚禮，所以我們沒有自己的房子。過了幾個月，當局給我們一個火車車廂居住，那就是英雄之家。」
又據一位退役軍人記載：「我四處閑逛，最後在泰晤士河堤一個座位上坐下來，迷迷糊糊睡着了，醒時天方破曉，抬頭一看，怵目驚心。河堤上的座位坐滿了老兵，還有很多老兵偃卧石階，有些身上蓋着舊報紙。這些漢子曾在戰壕裏拚命，而今擠在一起，無人過問，捱飢受凍。」