76 were lost on the beaches. Among those killed was the Commanding officer (CO), while the second-in-command, Robert Houghton was captured. Italy and the Aegean On return RM 'A' Commando was again re-designated; this time as 40 (RM) Commando. Further training and replenishment was carried out. Once back to full strength it was sent to Sicily in July 1943 and a little later in September saw action at Pizzio. Later that year the Commando was in action in Termoli in October, and in 1944 was embroiled at Anzio. Later service in Yugoslavia and Albania followed by policing duties on Corfu wound up 40's wartime activities. Post-Second World War Following the Second World War, 2 Commando (Nos. 2, 9, 40(RM) and 43(RM)) disbanded leaving 3 Commando Brigade (42(RM), 44(RM) and 45(RM)). To recognise 2 Commando Brigade one of the Commandos was renamed, No44(RM) becoming No40(RM). The Commando was involved in 1947–1948 Civil War in Palestine acting as the rearguard in the Protectorate, leaving in 1948. It also fought in the Malayan Emergency against the communist Malayan National Liberation Army. Malayan Emergency - headhunting photographs Members of the 40 Commandos caused a media scandal when photographs were leaked to the public showing their marines posing with the decapitated heads of pro-independence guerrillas during the Malayan Emergency. This was a common practice employed by the British during the war and was often conducted by Iban headhunters from Borneo hired by the British military. In April 1952, British left-wing newspaper The Daily Worker (today known as the Morning Star) published a photograph depicting soldiers inside a 40 Commando base near Kuala Kangsar holding the decapitated head of a suspected pro independence fighter belonging to the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA). An Admiralty spokesman subsequently claimed that the photographs were a forgery and a "communist trick", though Colonial Secretary Oliver Lyttelton later confirmed to Parliament that they were genuine. Lyttelton came to the defence of the Commando, noting that the decapitations had been conducted by the an Iban headhunter from Borneo hired by the British army, and not the Marines themselves. 1960s The Commando subsequently undertook security duties in Cyprus, Hong Kong and Egypt before moving to Singapore in 1961. It was involved in operations during the confrontation with Indonesia (Borneo) throughout the following decade. Return to UK In 1971 the Commando left Singapore and re-established itself in Seaton Barracks, Crownhill, Plymouth. Over the next