I've applied and got a student visa as a mature student after working for about the same time. It shouldn't go against you. If anything more mature student usually do better because they know what they want, they don't just go to university because all their friends do.
I would however recommend working on your English.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.