How to pronounce “guardsman” in English

I try to resist having POV characters who are just there to be a pair of eyes. If a battle is taking place, or someone is being murdered and I don't have a POV characterthere to see it, I tend to present that as a report that someone receives or a rumor, rather than just switching into third guardsman on the left--so I can have him see that. 'Cause I don't like that as a reader and I don't like that as a writer. But one of the criteria--. So, I guess one criteria is do they have a story