I am unfamiliar with the hierarchy of British military medals. Other than the VC, I don't know the level of prestige, I read some guy got the DSO or MC but what is the equivilency. In US its MOH, the crosses (Distinguished, Navy, and Air Force, Silver Star and BronzeStar. Could someone enlighten me please.

This site has the British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand honours and awards, and links to the official sites for that country. The honours are listed by order of precedence. It is difficult to say what awards from one country equate with what award from another country (Commonwealth honours excepted), because there are different criteria for each award.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_and_Commonwealth_orders_and_decorations

WOW and I thought we had a lot of medals. OK I know a lot of these are awards for non-military folks and stuff like that. I would just like someone to give me the short list of the Combat Decoration given to the service folks for gallantry in action

Just comment concerning the VC. Originally it could not be awarded postumously!! It was changed to include those that were killed or mortally wounded during the respective act of valor.

More VC trivia. All the VC's were made from the bronze of the cannons captured at Sevastopol (Crimean War)...at least until it ran out

To my knowledge, it has not run out. This site gives you some good info:

VC Facts

it hasnt run out yet, but theres not much left,

i heard they were thinking of what to use once its all gone, they were thinking of using german guns from ww2,

never heard any confirmed statements though

cheers

joe

no I think there is about enough metal left to make 50 medals? which by the rate they are awarded will be enough for another 100+ years to come the gallentry awards have recently been overhauled as well now.

Well, all the VC trivia is really interesting, but my original question still stands. What awards ae given by the British for gallantry in action? what is the heirarchy?

There is no real hierarchy per se, but the order of precedence in which the orders, decorations, and medals are worn would be close enough. In answer to you second question, the VC, Conspicuous Galantry Cross (CGC), Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), Military Cross (MC), Distinguished Flying Medal (DFC) would require the action being honoured be conducted in the presence of the enemy. There are other honours and awards which can be won in the presence of the enemy, but that is not a central requirement of the honour.