Known to his tank crew as ‘Tom’, Marshall was now part of the Allied advance which involved fierce fighting across France, Belgium and Holland and on into Germany. The rest of the crew comprised: Cpl Bill Allen, commander; L/Cpl Bill Bailey, driver; and gunners, Reg Millard & Bob Manning.
By 27 February 1945, 3/4CLY were headed through the Reichswald Forest, Germany in support of an advance by the 1st Canadian Army. At Uedem in Germany, 3 Troop came under heavy fire from a German Jagdpanther tank destroyer.
Marshall recalled the action thus: “We were to cross an open field in our tank which was leading (the Regiment). Bill said ‘I don’t like the look of this’ so he reversed the tank into a wood and then speeded across the field and went behind a farmhouse. The following 3 tanks were fired upon and brewed up”.
Those 3 tanks were destroyed and several men were killed or wounded. With support from RAF rocket-firing Typhoon aircraft, Marshall, tank and crew escaped.