Following the entry of the British Empire into World War II against the Axis powers in 1939, the question of the role that was to be played by its African subjects resurfaced.

The white-minority government of South Africa vehemently opposed arming Black troops, especially for fighting against white soldiers, insisting that racial segregation be maintained.

Black Africans were instead recruited into labour units so as to enable more whites in Southern Africa to enlist into the Union Defence Force (UDF).

Concerns were raised about the incorporation of HTC soldiers into the UDF due to its racist policies and the low level of training given to African recruits, as had happened during the course of World War I.

Despite the fact that training was hampered by language barriers, resident commissioner Charles Arden-Clarke rebuffed any attempt to create separate tribal units.

The mobilization order was communicated through traditional meetings and recruitment for the African Auxiliary Pioneer Corps (AAPC) was launched in late July.

[7] Terms and conditions of the contracts were to mirror those of the Native Military Corps and resembled those set for mine workers performing heavy manual labor.

[12] The AAPC performed a wide range of manual labor, repairing and demolishing roads, bridges and fortifications (Ras Baalbek and Jdeide).

In July, the Transvaal Gold Producers Committee agreed to bar jobseekers from the HTCs from applying, to curb the flow of people using the mines to evade conscription.

A similar procedure was set at mines, whereby men seeking employment were taken through the back door to army trucks which immediately took them to military installations.

When those methods failed to produce results, army recruiters relaxed their medical requirements and began raiding the countryside and abducting able bodied men they came across.

The anti-colonial Basutoland Lekhotla la Bafo (Commoner's League) was banned and its leaders were imprisoned for demanding that training for the recruits be improved.

[16] On 12 May, the Allies suppressed the last Axis centers of resistance in North Africa and soon afterwards, the AAPC was renamed the African Pioneer Corps (APC) in recognition of its service.

On 9 September, the Eighth Army crossed into mainland Italy and APC troops operated as smoke companies in the battles of Anzio, Salerno and Monte Cassino.