Editing Skeleton Army (section)

==Origins==
{{The Salvation Army}}
[[Image:skeleton-gazette.jpg|thumb|left|''The "Skeleton"'', a Skeleton Army [[gazette]]]]
The earliest reference to an organised opposition to The Salvation Army was in August 1880 in [[Whitechapel]], when The Unconverted Salvation Army was founded with its flag and motto of "Be just and fear not".

In 1881, Skeleton Armies were raised in [[Whitechapel]], [[Exeter]] and [[Weston-super-Mare]], and the name was quickly taken up elsewhere as other groups were formed in the south of England; there are no records of Skeleton Armies north of London. Membership was predominantly lower to middle working-class.<ref name=Horridge>Horridge, Glenn K., ''The Salvation Army Origins and Early Days 1865–1900'' Ammonite Books (1993) pg 101</ref>

In 'Blood on the Flag', Major Nigel Bovey identifies 21 towns and cities that are north of London -- three in Scotland -- in which the Skeleton Army opposed The Salvation Army.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Blood on the Flag'', Nigel Bovey, Shield Books.2015</ref>

The "Skeletons" recognised each other by various insignia used to distinguish themselves.<ref name=sac>[http://www.sacollectables.com/eastbourne.html Salvation Army Collectables website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025162859/http://www.sacollectables.com/eastbourne.html |date=25 October 2005 }}</ref> Skeletons used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, "Blood and Thunder" (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: "Beef", "Beer" and "[[tobacco|Bacca]]" – again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's – "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation". Banners also had pictures of monkeys, rats and the [[devil]]. Skeletons further published so-called "gazettes" considered libellous as well as [[obscene]] and [[blasphemous]].<ref name=sac/><ref name=heritage/>

Several techniques were employed by the "Skeletons" to disrupt Salvation Army meetings and marches; these included throwing rocks and dead rats, marching while loudly playing musical instruments or shouting, and physically assaulting Salvation Army members at their meetings.