Showing posts with label Basildon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basildon. Show all posts

Tuesday 14 February 2023

A War Story



Wood's book is one of a number of local history books that have been appearing over the last 20 years or so.   This is one of a number of books from 'The History Press,' that look likely to be worth a read.  This is one of a number that concentrate on the History of Essex and the locals involved in recent past times
The subject of the book is born just before the war breaks out.  His Jewish grandparents came from the east trying to escape pogroms there.  Based in London the family are moved to Basildon, a small hamlet in Essex just outside London, not far from Southend.  As the war progressed the young lad and his mum remained in accommodation supplied by a 'friend' called JL.  This came through his two aunts, women who would enjoy life during war with the number of men available at the time.  JL was what is referred to these days as a 'wide Boy,' one with his hands in every opportunity and not all were as honest as they appeared.  However, he had accommodation the family could make use of while heir home in London endured the 'Blitz.'  David's dad travelled into work, finding a new workshop close to a few more 'wide boys' and 'east end' types.  This while the 'Black Market' was about to get into swing during rationing.
The tale concerns the boy David growing up from a 5 year old until his 11 Plus at the end of the war.  Not all children suffered during ww2, many indeed enjoyed it.  There are a huge number of interesting people and objects that come into the hands of many a youth during such times.  This author was to mostly enjoy his time as scary experiences were rare.
Written well by a man who is not an author, the life lived as a child, but told as an adult looking back on a war, now knowing so much more about the war than possible at the time, is interesting.  Information was not easy to obtain, except via the press or 'Pathe' or 'Gaumont' newsreels at the cinema.  While the propaganda was to be seen there is no doubt the UK knew more about the war than any German would know, unless he tuned to the BBC secretly.  
The houses, the friends, the Black market, even German POWs are encountered.  His aunts behaviour left him somewhat bemused at the time, and when able to visit the towns around his mother dragged him along window shopping!  How tedious for a boy!   
Anyone familiar with Basildon today would not recognise the place, now a modern 1950s town.  The area has changed, the boy has grown, and written a decent short book covering his childhood, a better childhood than many today!


Wednesday 9 August 2017

Amazon UK Delivery Shambles!


I've spent the day looking through this window for the delivery from Amazon.  Using 'Amazon Logistics' whatever that is, they have my book out last night for delivery today (hooray!).  This means sending it to the local carrier at Basildon  (a hundred miles away) and then he leaves the depot just after ten in the morning to deliver.  This sounds acceptable even if the depot is clearly too far away.  The 'OPD' vans come from Chelmsford thirty minutes drive away!   Recalling my delivery experience I know he would arrive here around lunchtime so I await developments.
Now 'OPD' offer a guide on the laptop indicating what time the van will arrive and this I have found works near perfectly.  Amazon do not offer this.  The tracking on the laptop indicates he has left the depot and 'it's out for delivery.'  It gives no indication of time.
Clearly 'OPD' win hands down.
Royal Mail deliver between nine in the morning until lunchtime, though often it can be much later, and with the sorting office being in town it can be reached if I was out and had to collect. There is no chance of getting to Basildon!  



Late afternoon I go on to Twitter and bleat re non delivery from Amazon.  Short time later an answer from Amazon Help " Our couriers deliver until 21:00! Please keep us posted on the delivery! ^MT"
Deliver up till 21:00!!!!  
You expect me to wait until NINE at NIGHT for a delivery!!!???
I sent my deliver no to them and got the reply that Amazon Help do "not have access to account info on Twitter!"  Then what is the point of being on Twitter or being Amazon Help?
I made it clear that of it is not delivered by Six the door will remain closed and I will cancel the order.  I can get books from elsewhere and have them delivered on time.
Tonight I will be watching the Dundee Derby and do not expect to be taken out of my bed (where I will watch it in comfort) to answer the door to a drookit delivery man offering me a parcel in the dark.



A quick search for 'Amazon Logistics, Basildon' reveals a whole host of complaints about bad delivery, non delivery, lies re delivery and another failing company taking on more work than it can handle.  It has too few drivers, too many inexperienced men and far too big a delivery round for them to complete.  In short a shambles and it is all Amazons fault!  Incompetence at the top using a company on the cheap and not equipped or competent enough to do the job.  This ought to have been sent out on Monday (I ordered the book on Sunday) and it would have arrived today by post if Royal Mail was used.  This is a gift for another and that makes it worse.  If I realised both Amazon and Amazon Logistics (previously called APLE) were such cheapskates I would have gone into town and bought one from Waterstones!   If they insist on using this inept company I will never use them Amazon again! 

It's coming up to six O'clock and I am off to prepare for football!


Addendum!
I had just posted this and settled back to work out the grub situation when there was a knock on the door.  My knees and I struggled down while again the door was rapped yet when I got there he was off up the road again!  I called far from cheerily and he returned with my precious book. 
It was as he struggled in the rain to get his failing computerised device to register that I began to feel sorry for him.  A recent immigrant I thought, desperate for legitimate work, being used by the employer and now knowing the grumpiness of the public!  I found it difficult to abuse him however I will be reluctant to use Amazon Logistics ever again as the link on Amazon UK to complaints covers several years and clearly nothing is being done about this. 

Still now I feel relaxed, at 18:15 hours!