Aftermath exhibition shows reality for troops expecting a ‘Land Fit for Heroes.’

The plight faced by ex-service personnel from all branches of the armed forces returning from the First World War is to be highlighted in an exhibition at a regimental museum.

Aftermath, being launched on Saturday at the King’s Own Scottish Borderers Regimental Museum in Berwick-upontweed, reveals the poverty, unemployment and homelessness many faced.

During the 1918 general election campaign, the Liberal politician David Lloyd George promised a “Land Fit for Heroes” for the men and women who had gone off to war and served their country.

However, for many of those returning home to find that their job no longer existed or had been given to a lower-paid worker, the reality was that the campaign slogan was no more than political rhetoric.

From 1920 until 1937 poverty, homelessness and unemployment dominated the political discourse. Unemployment rose to three million and many ex-service people and their families were forced into emigration by absolute poverty.

The free exhibition uses offi- 0 David Lloyd George pledged a ‘land fit for heroes’ in 1918 cial and unofficial documents, hardship letters and financial assistance applications to the regiment.

The following is taken from a financial assistance application: “This man was a private in the Machine Gun Corps. He has a wife and three children. They are in arrears with their rent. They receive a pint and a half of milk per day and a half a stone of meal every two weeks from the Board of Health.

“His wife and children are in rags and have no boots or shoes, and several articles of bed clothing are in the Pawn.”

Dr Yvonne Mcewen, project director of Scotland’s War and research fellow at the World War One research unit at the University of Wolverhampton, said : “One hundred years on we still don’t seem to have learned the lessons 100 years on from the brutality and aftermath of that terrible war.

“We understand a lot more about mental health and how ex-service men and women can suffer issues for the rest of their lives.

“But consecutive governments are still not doing enough to tackle the problems these people are facing in the same way as those returning from the Great War did.

“There is still a lack of action in tackling the poverty, inappropriate housing, lack of suitable jobs and opportunities for those returning from war.”

Dr Mcewen added: “The exhibition has two key aims.

“Firstly, to get people to go along and find out exactly what happened in the aftermath of the war.

“Secondly, to make them think about what happens nowadays and the responsibility governments and indeed everyone has to make sure these men and women are treated with dignity and respect.

“It’s designed to get people talking.”

The Heritage Lottery-funded exhibition runs until 11 November 2018, then tours Scotland and the UK.