[5] Suggate served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps as a lieutenant during World War II.
Initially based in Greymouth, he worked with Harold Wellman to investigate the coal resources around Murchison.
[4] He went on to make major contributions to geological mapping in New Zealand, and to the effect of coal rank on its properties.
[4][7] In this period, he also completed a number of geological mapping projects, and made a significant contribution to research on the advance and retreat of glaciers near Hokitika.
[11] In the 2003 New Year Honours, Suggate was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to geology.