Crossword Genius

Cellar workers following soldiers home for tea (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

basement

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'cellar' is the definition.
('basement' can be a synonym of 'cellar')

'following soldiers home for tea' is the wordplay.
'following' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'soldiers' becomes 'men' (I've seen this before).
'home for' becomes 'base' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'tea' becomes 't' (I've seen this in other clues).
'men' after 'base' is 'basemen'.
'basemen'+'t'='BASEMENT'

'workers' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. It may be part of another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for basement that I've seen before include "Japanese medicine box" , "room's full!" , "Lowest floor of a building" , "Bottom floor" , "Part of house below ground" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times.
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