Can anyone help me identify these four patches that I picked up traveling in Europe two decades ago?
September 4, 2010 8:59 PM   Subscribe

Can anyone help me identify these four patches that I picked up traveling in Europe two decades ago?

I grew up as a military kid and bounced around some places overseas during my teen years. Lots of traveling in Europe, particularly the UK. I started collecting patches wherever I went, since every place was accustomed to travelers and tourists, and these made easy souvenirs even for very small towns. I amassed a nice collection, grew a bit older, settled back in the US, stuffed them all in a bag and haven't thought much about them for 20 years. My wife mentioned them and I dug the bag out of a closet this week to flip through them. The vast majority name the place they're from or what they represent, e.g. I have dozens of Spanish football team patches. Four of them are just lost to me, though. So I come to the hive mind and show you these...

Patch 1 - "NUF" - This is an acronym the National Urban Fellows (a leadership training organization) and there are a few political movements that have used the name, usually as the "National United Front of ..." None of those are things I would have had much contact with at the time, so...
Patch 2 - Norway? Some sort of viking shock troop insginia?
Patch 3 - Silver cross inside a pale blue cross on a crest under a crown. Thus, likely British.
Patch 4 - Reads "Colegio de Entrenadores" or "School of Trainers," a phrase that shows up lots of places.

Any ideas? If anyone can get all four, I'll throw in a complementary Schloss Neuschwanstein patch. (I have doubles.)
posted by el_lupino to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (10 answers total)
 
Best answer: NUF - Newcastle United
posted by msbutah at 9:10 PM on September 4, 2010


Response by poster: NUF - Newcastle United

Ah! And an older logo, right at the right time. I had thought about NUFC, but it never occurred to me to drop the C. Thanks!
posted by el_lupino at 9:25 PM on September 4, 2010


Best answer: I found the second one as the logo on Site Officiel du Mouvement Normand. (Google Translate)
posted by msbutah at 9:35 PM on September 4, 2010


Re: NUFC - the 'C' is at the bottom, on its side!
posted by kenchie at 1:06 AM on September 5, 2010 [1 favorite]


And the magpie is the mascot of Newcastle United, due to the black and white striped shirts they wear.
posted by essexjan at 4:51 AM on September 5, 2010 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Re: NUFC - the 'C' is at the bottom, on its side!

[el_lupino dons a flame retardant suit, steps behind a protective concrete barrier]

Is that so they can read it lying down, after Sunderland knocks them on their ass?

[el_lupino waits...]

And the magpie is the mascot of Newcastle United, due to the black and white striped shirts they wear.

And that may do some explaining, too. It bears a fairly good resemblance to the Baltimore Oriole logo that was out of use in the 80s and is back in use today. Being a fan, that would have caught my eye. (And if kenchie or others feel the need to exact revenge, note that I am an Orioles fan and the universe has already dished out plenty of revenge on me on their behalf.)
posted by el_lupino at 6:51 AM on September 5, 2010


Best answer: Patch 4 if coming from Spanish-speaking Europe would be a reference to the Federación Española de Natación, spanish swimming federation. However I cannot find any further reference to this logo.
posted by knz at 7:45 AM on September 5, 2010


Best answer: knz is correct; you can see a similar FEN logo employed on this certificate.
posted by bunyip at 8:36 AM on September 5, 2010


@ el_lupino - I'm not from Newcastle!
posted by kenchie at 12:58 PM on September 5, 2010


Response by poster: @kenchie - I figured you might not be. Just kidding around.
posted by el_lupino at 1:30 PM on September 5, 2010


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