Cobourg woman makes waves in more ways than one during Second World War

Cobourg’s Fern Blodgett Sunde sends and decodes morse code messages aboard the Norwegian merchant ship M/S Mosdale. /Graham Beer Media submitted photo

By reporter Natalie Hamilton

In the late 1930s-early 1940s, Fern Blodgett Sunde aspired to be a sailor.

And when the Cobourg woman beamed that goal into the universe, she was indeed swept out to sea.

The late Blodgett Sunde was Canada’s first woman to serve as a wireless radio operator on the water. A Second World War trailblazer who made waves in more ways than one, she is now the subject of a new documentary.

Graham Beer Media has announced “Sparks at Sea” is currently in production and aims to capture the extraordinary life and enduring connections of Blodgett Sunde, who sent and decoded morse code messages aboard the Norwegian merchant ship M/S Mosdale.

Beer shared his thoughts with the Independent about what inspired him to tell her story.

“Fern was a young girl from Cobourg with ambitious dreams, and she defied the odds to achieve them,” said Beer. “Having grown up in the same town with dreams of my own, I felt personally drawn to her story.

“Seeing our community come together to honour Fern made me want to help bring her story to a wider audience.”

In addition to capturing her journey, Beer said the documentary will also show how decades later, two communities on opposite sides of the Atlantic have come together to preserve Blodgett Sunde’s legacy. Twin statues, sculpted by Tyler Fauvelle, now stand in Cobourg, and in Farsund, Norway, her husband’s hometown, where the couple settled after the war.

Blodgett Sunde’s story encompasses how she was determined to serve at the onset of the Battle of the Atlantic. She became the first Canadian woman to earn a second-class wireless operator’s certificate. Despite her qualifications, Canadian and British ships prohibited women from serving at sea.

However, a Norwegian merchant ship in Montreal urgently needed a radio operator. With no such restrictions aboard Norwegian vessels, Blodgett Sunde joined the crew of the M/S Mosdale.

Amid the dangers of war, she was also swept off her feet and married the ship’s captain, Gerner Sunde.

Fern Blodgett Sunde’s family and members of the Cobourg and Farsund, Norway statue committees visit the Fern Blodgett Sunde ‘Make Waves’ statue in Cobourg in September 2025. /Graham Beer Media photo

She completed 78 Atlantic crossings, transmitting and receiving vital morse code messages under the constant threat of German U-boats.

Her courage broke barriers for women and “inspired a sisterhood of radio operators to join the war effort,” said Beer.

“Blodgett Sunde is a Canadian hero whose story speaks powerfully to our time. In moments of global uncertainty, Fern reminds us that our allies make us stronger. We have a responsibility to preserve our Canadian stories and share them with the world.”

The film is produced and directed by Beer, who is dedicated to preserving the stories of veterans. He started documenting Fern’s story in 2020 and has since filmed interviews and commemorations in both Canada and Norway.

He brings her life to the screen with the support of Blodgett Sunde’s family, statue committee members in both Cobourg and Farsund, and storytellers in both countries.

“It’s really admirable what my mother could achieve by virtue of courage, patience and endurance,” said Fern Sunde Sletten, the Cobourg woman’s daughter, in a statement. “Her unwavering belief in peace and democracy guided her throughout life.

“I hope my mother’s story will inspire future generations to carry those values forward.”

For Beer, making the documentary and seeing the impact of her legacy on people in both Canada and Norway “has been deeply moving.”

“Her story connects people across generations and borders in ways I never imagined.”

Beer said it has also been rewarding to uncover photographs, newspaper articles, and touching stories about both Blodgett Sunde and her husband.

Graham Beer films with Fern Blodgett Sunde’s family in Farsund, Norway. Pictured, from left, are daughter Solveig Ann Eiken, Beer, daughter Fern Sunde Sletten, and granddaughter Ragnhild Eiken. /Graham Beer Media photo

“I hope the documentary reaches audiences across North America and Europe, and that Fern’s story encourages people to believe in their own dreams.”

Production will continue through 2027 across North America and Europe. Beer said Sparks at Sea will be made possible through the support of sponsors and donors, with a fundraising campaign launching soon.

People can follow the production of Sparks at Sea on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube at @sparksatseadoc or visit grahambeermedia.com/sp.